Myths of the Flood
by Bohemian Storm
Summary: *Completed!* A new DADA professor has stories to tell, secrets to hold and of course, a connection to Severus Snape's past. Voldemort wants something from her and her only protector is a former Death Eater. Reviews greatly appreciated.
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: The character all belong to JK Rowling except for Glory. I shamelessly stole her name from Joss Whedon's creation. He owns her name.   
  
Myths of the Flood  
  
Far from happy, Severus Snape stood with Albus Dumbledore and waited for the arrival of the Hogwarts Express. Moments after it arrived students would begin to spill out, trembling first years, boisterous second and third year students, happy to no longer be the youngest in the school. The seventh year students were usually the worst, thinking that they were the rulers of the school and Snape hated that. Dumbledore was the ruler of the school and the students needed to be kept in their place, but whenever he brought it up the Headmaster only chuckled and shook his head. Snape would never understand teenagers.  
  
Draco Malfoy was the first Slytherin student that Snape saw and he nodded slightly to the boy, knowing how lost the boy must have been feeling after the eventful summer that had just passed them by. Without any warning Voldemort had struck, killing half of his own followers including Narcissa Malfoy, Draco's mother. He had since gone into hiding, and his followers were now few and far between. Lucius Malfoy had sworn to get revenge on Voldemort for his wife's murder and most of the Death Eater had followed his lead.  
  
Draco slipped past Snape and walked toward the carriages, his head down and his eyes on the ground. Snape had never known the boy to look so submissive, but then again he had never seen the boy after losing a member of his family. As he thought about what kind of treatment to give Draco during his last year, the rest of the students came pouring out onto the grounds. Most of the older students moved toward the carriages quickly, wanting to get out of the cool evening rain. The first years stood nervously, waiting to be told what to do.   
  
"How long does it take one to get off a train?" Snape asked bitterly, wanting nothing more than to get into a carriage and dry his wet robes.  
  
"Patience is a virtue, Severus," Dumbledore said, with the hint of a smile on his lips.  
  
Snape sighed and crossed his arms under his robes, wishing he had taken the time to cast a spell to ward off the rain that was now dripping down the end of his nose. They were waiting for the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor to step off the train with her guardian, someone to protect her when the almost inevitable attack from Voldemort came. Snape didn't know what it was, but apparently there was something inside her that Voldemort wanted to get his hands on. Dumbledore had hired her both to protect her and to give the students someone who had experience in the field. The woman, though apparently quite young, was a retired Auror.   
  
Snape sunk deeper into his bad mood as he thought about the position she would be holding at Hogwarts. The position he'd been vying for, for years.   
"There she is," Dumbledore murmured finally and Snape glanced up to watch the woman step off the train.  
  
She had apparently had the time to cast a spell to protect herself from the cold rain because it slid off an invisible shield around her, keeping her perfectly dry and perfectly happy. She was statuesque, tall, thin and blonde. Snape could only see her profile but he could see the model perfect smile and the brilliant blue of her eyes that sparkled with happiness when she caught sight of Dumbledore. Snape hated her on sight, though he couldn't help but think that she was Lucius Malfoy's ideal woman.  
  
"And there's Lucius," Dumbledore said a moment later and Snape blinked, wondering if he had spoken out loud. His black eyes were drawn back toward the train and he saw Lucius step down, following the blonde woman carrying what appeared to be her trunk.  
  
"Glorificus," Dumbledore murmured, stepping forward to shake the hand of the woman. She turned toward them finally, showing Snape her entire face. He took a step back when he saw her, he was that startled by the deep scar that cut through her right eyebrow and continued down her right temple.   
  
"You know better, Albus," she said, leaning forward to kiss his cheek. "Call me Glory."  
  
Dumbledore nodded. "Of course, my dear." He turned toward Snape. "Severus Snape, this is Glory Beckwith. She will be our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."  
  
"It's a pleasure to see you again, Severus," she said, shaking his hand.  
  
Snape frowned. "We've met before?"  
  
Glory smiled . . . beamed was probably a more appropriate word. "I didn't expect you to remember. You were concentrating very hard on abducting a teenage girl for Voldemort, I believe."  
  
Snape blinked, completely startled with her knowledge of the attempted abduction. He had been sent out to kidnap a young, attractive girl, one who would fulfill the needs of any Death Eater who wanted to take advantage of her. He had found the model perfect young woman in The Three Broomsticks and had waited until she had left the building by herself, then followed her into the dark alley.  
  
She had fought back valiantly, especially for a girl who was just graduating from Hogwarts. Although he hadn't been able to take her back with him, Snape remembered clubbing her with a broken bottle he had found in the alley. A broken bottle that had smashed and ripped open her face, spilling her blood onto his hands and robes.  
  
"Merlin's Beard," he breathed, turning away from Glory.  
  
Her hand caught his wrist. "It's okay, Severus. I understand."  
  
"You couldn't possibly-"  
  
"She does," Lucius interrupted him. "She understands better than we could ever possibly think."  
  
Snape stared at him for a moment. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Lucius grinned suddenly. "I'm her guardian. Why else would I be here?"  
  
Dumbledore took Glory's elbow gently and began to lead her toward the carriages and Lucius followed a second later. Soon, only Snape was left standing in the rain, staring at the carriage they had disappeared into as rain dripped down his back. He shivered involuntarily, but whether it was from the rain of from Glory's sudden appearance he couldn't be sure.  
  
* * * *   
  
Notes: The title comes from a Mythology book that I own. It will come into play eventually. 


	2. Chapter Two

Notes: The rating of this fic has already been changed from PG-13 to R, specifically for this chapter and for the road the rest of the story will probably take.  
// indicates the beginning of a memory sequence since HTML will never ever work for me!  
  
* * * *   
  
Lucius Malfoy bent over the large trunk that Glory Beckwith had brought with her on her journey across England to work at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was a bottomless trunk, quite literally and Lucius found himself spending the better part of an hour halfway into the trunk, pulling out robe after robe and book after book. He had already unpacked his own trunk, filling the drawers and half of the closet in the room he and Glory would be sharing.   
  
"Good God, woman," he muttered as she entered the room. "How much did you pack?"  
  
She grinned at him and hung her robe up inside of the closet. "More than I need, probably. What does it matter though? You don't have to unpack my things."  
  
Lucius cleared his throat, then glanced pointedly at the closet filled with her clothing.  
  
Glory's smile grew wider. "Whatever happened to the Lucius I once knew?"  
  
"He got a hell of a shock when he came home to find his wife murdered by the man he had pledged his life to," Lucius said, then turned back and shut her trunk with a loud thud. "Did I say murdered? I meant slaughtered . . . butchered."  
  
Glory sighed. "I'm sorry, Lucius."  
  
He shrugged. "You couldn't have done anything."  
  
"I could have saved her," she said softly.  
  
Lucius waved his hand dismissively. "No, Glory, you couldn't have. Let's not talk about it, okay?"  
  
She nodded. "If that's what you want." She moved further into the room and surveyed it, quickly noting the one, large bed they were given. "I told you that we didn't have to share a room."  
  
"Dumbledore thought it might be a good idea."  
  
"No one can get to me in here," Glory said. "I'm safe."  
  
"He wants me around you at all times."  
  
"Great," she groaned, "so I'm going to have a shadow?"  
  
"I think he's right," Lucius said, moving Glory's trunk off the bed and shoving it underneath. "You have something that Voldemort wants and he'll stop at nothing to get it from you."  
  
"I never knew it was that important," she murmured, sitting on the edge of the bed and twisting her hands in her lap. "I'm just a girl, really. I graduated barely ten years ago, I'm only twenty seven years old. I feel so young in all of this and yet-"  
  
"So old?" Lucius asked, cutting her off. "I know how you feel."  
  
"You must," she responded. "I never knew my life would lead to this point. I would never have imagined that my encounters with you and with Severus Snape would leave me so deeply scarred."  
  
"Are you talking physically or emotionally?" Lucius asked.  
  
Glory tossed him a half smile. "Both, really. You never quite get over something like that."  
  
"I believe it."  
  
"So he didn't catch me the first time, but I should have known better. Voldemort wanted me as soon as he saw the fight I put up and he would have me." She sighed bitterly. "I'll always remember it . . . every detail, every fight, every rape."  
  
Lucius bit his lip and turned away. "I'm sorry, you know that right?"  
  
"I know and I can forgive everything, but I'll never forget it."  
  
Lucius laughed uncomfortably. "I wonder what Voldemort thinks about you now. We know he wants you again, but for completely different reasons. Before you were just a toy for his followers and now you're . . . a . . . I don't know."  
  
"A tool for mass destruction?" Glory supplied. "That's the best one I've heard so far."  
  
"I wonder if he ever knew that all the horror you lived through would push such a great power into your body," Lucius murmured. "Every experience with a Death Eater, especially Snape and myself left you with remnants of the powers we held and now . . . you could kill us all."  
  
Glory's blue eyes met his. "That's not going to happen though. That's why I'm here and that's why you're my guardian."  
  
Lucius held her gaze. "How can you be so sure I wouldn't turn on you."  
  
Glory's eyes softened. "I saw Narcissa's body . . . I trust you."  
  
He reached toward her and gently traced the scar on her face. "We left you butchered inside and out."  
  
Glory stood up suddenly, uncomfortable with the contact. "Let's go to bed."  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
//  
Glory was nineteen, a baby still and yet she had been held in the dungeons of Lucius Malfoy's home for nearly a year. She was a slave to the Death Eaters, a toy for their needs and a body for their anger. She was battered, bruised and scarred but she never cried. She had learned months ago not to cry and Lucius had been her teacher during that particular lesson.  
  
"Don't cry, you snivelling little bitch," he had screamed, slapping her face as he had torn at her shirt. "Don't you fucking cry on me, I hate the whiny ones."   
  
His lean hands had gripped her shoulders tightly, bringing her face to his as he smashed his lips against hers. His teeth cut into her bottom lip and she cried out, tears streaming down her cheeks. It was the first time he'd come to use her and he was the most brutal man she'd had to deal with.  
  
"I told you not to cry," he growled in her ear, then brought his mouth down to her shoulder, biting the sensitive skin and leaving a purple mark. "You're just a disgusting little slut, what could you possibly have to cry about?"  
  
Glory shook her head, sobbing as his hand crept up her thigh. "I'm not a slut," she whimpered, bringing her hands up to wipe her tears. "I'm not."  
  
Lucius grinned, his face full of malice. "Don't play games with me. You're a good for nothing whore that Severus Snape picked up off the street."  
  
Snape . . . the name was familiar. He was the only one she didn't dread seeing, the only one who would take his time with her and make sure she didn't have to cry.  
  
"I'm not," she sobbed, trying to hold her torn shirt to her chest. "I'm not a whore."  
  
Lucius pushed her back on the cot they had given her for her tiny cell and grabbed her wrists in his hands. "Don't talk anymore. I can't stand hearing your whiny voice."  
  
And as he had raped her, Glory had kept her mouth shut and her tears at bay, obeying the lean man above her. The others would take her up to their rooms, but not Lucius, he could never have Narcissa know that he used the services provided by Voldemort. Instead he raped her in the dank, dirty basement room she had been given and when he was finished he tossed her a blanket to cover herself.  
  
"Whore," he hissed a final time, buttoning his shirt and locking the door behind him.   
  
That had been the day that Glory vowed she would never cry again. She wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing her cry. It was Lucius' favourite game, taunt her, hurt her and beat her, trying to make her shed even a single tear, but she never did. She dreaded hearing his voice, recognized the scrap of his shoe outside her cell door and hated the sickening thunk of the deadbolt as it slid backward to let her nightmare in.  
  
He was standing there now, framed in the doorway with light pouring in around him. He was handsome, she would never deny that, but there was an anger in him that had poisoned his soul.   
  
"Glory," he purred, shutting the door behind him and bolting the door. "You're a vision of beauty, as always."  
  
"I haven't had a shower in three days and I probably smell," she retorted. "I wonder how beautiful I really am."  
  
Lucius grinned, advancing on her. "What can I say? I always liked them dirty."  
  
"So that's the reason you married Narcissa," Glory murmured knowingly.  
  
His hand left a stinging red welt on her cheek, but she smiled up at him anyway. She knew her cocky attitude both angered him and turned him on, but she didn't know how else to act, she didn't know how else to keep herself from crying.  
  
He undressed her quickly and she tuned him out, ignoring the words that he said as he worked. She didn't care what he had to say to her, she wasn't interested in hearing the latest news of the Death Eaters because as soon as she escaped she would be killing them off, one by one.  
  
"Look at me," he demanded suddenly.  
  
Glory's eyes met his. They were hauntingly pale, icy crystals of anger and hatred. She hated his eyes more than any other part of him because that was where she could see right inside of him.  
  
"What would you say if I wanted you to join us?" he asked, taking her off guard.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I want you to join the Death Eaters," he hissed, removing his own shirt and kicking off his shoes. "I want you to take Narcissa's place at my side."  
  
Glory sneered at him. "You want me to be your wife?"  
  
"Wouldn't it be better than being my whore?" he asked, taking off his pants and moving over her.  
  
"Fuck you," she hissed, turning away and closing her eyes.  
  
Lucius was silent for a moment, then grabbed her shoulder and turned her body toward him, thrusting into her quickly. Glory winced, but said nothing as he moved above her. She let him use her body and when he was done she continued lying on the cot.  
  
"Think about it, Glory," he said once he was dressed. "I'll ask next time I'm down here, but that's the last time I offer."  
  
He was gone a second later, the door slamming behind her and ringing in her ears. His power raced through her veins and for what seemed to be the millionth time, she wondered why she could still feel him inside her.  
  
  
Glory awoke with a start and sat up in the large bed at Hogwarts. Her heart was racing in her chest and she pressed her hand against it, trying to calm her nerves. She was safe where she was, no one could ever hurt her again. Even Lucius.  
  
She turned to look at the sleeping form of the man beside her and sighed. He had changed so much in such a short time. Her former rapist, the very thorn in her side, her nightmare creature was now sleeping peacefully in the same bed as she. He had vowed to protect her to his death and she believed him with all her heart.   
  
  
* * * * 


	3. Chapter Three

* * * *  
  
  
As Glory lay away in her room, the memories of her past eating away at her heart, Severus Snape was pacing the length of floor beside his bed. Everything that he had worked so hard for forget came flooding back to him with the arrival of Lucius and Glory. Her kidnap had happened right in the middle of Snape's life as a Death Eater, the time when he had been most violent and most willing to do his Master's bidding. A deep shiver ran through him as he remembered Voldemort's harsh voice demanding that the girl be brought to him, no matter what it took.  
  
  
  
//"She put up a good fight then, Severus?" Voldemort asked, his laugh dark and troubling. He surveyed the blood on Snape's hands and inclined his head toward the stains. "Her blood or yours?"  
  
Snape glanced down at his hands. "Hers," he answered carefully.  
  
"I thought as much."  
  
"I cut her face," Snape murmured, suddenly very troubled by the thought.  
  
"Then she will be easy to find," Voldemort said. "And find her, you will. I want her Severus. We need a little fighting spirit in this place." A cold grin crossed the thin lips of the Dark Lord. "All of the other toys are so submissive."  
  
Snape stared at the blood on his hands for a long moment. Given time, she too would become submissive, they always did. It was impossible to stand up to a Death Eater time and again as they ripped at their bodies and their self worth. But he had been given an order and he would find her again.  
  
Snape bowed deeply. "I will find her for you, my Lord."  
  
Voldemort nodded. "Very well, Severus. This time though, you ought to relax and remember that you too own a wand."  
  
Snape felt a familiar anger boiling in him at the thought. The girl had made a fool out of him, she had clouded his sense with her beauty and had caused him to act rashly. He would find her and he would punish her.  
  
"Oh, and Severus?" Voldemort called as he left the room. "Take Lucius with you this time. I want an opinion on the girl."  
  
Snape cringed inwardly, but nodded anyway. The handsome blonde had once been his closest friend, but times had changed and now there was no one else who Snape hated more. Rather than indulging his emotions, Snape and Lucius had gone to get the girl without any trouble at all. She had come before Voldemort, shaking and only partially conscious.   
  
He smiled down on her. "She will be sufficient. Throw her in where the redhead used to be."  
  
Snape nodded, then moved toward a dark cell and placed the girl inside. She suddenly glared up at him with such malice, that Snape had to turn and make sure Lucius still had the girl under his control. He knew then that she hated them and that one day, she would stop at nothing to kill them all.//  
  
  
  
It was the rage he'd seen in her eyes so many times that still affected Snape. They had turned an innocent child into an angry woman, a brutalized and scarred woman. Because of her hatred she had taken something from every Death Eater. With every beating she had endured, every violation of her body, she drew away some of their power and it simmered inside of her. She had been unaware of what she was doing and only now did she see the effects of what she had done by harbouring such a hatred. She was more powerful than any of Voldemort's followers could ever be because she held a piece of them all inside.  
  
Snape sunk to the edge of the bed and put his head in his hands. He didn't trust Lucius, he didn't believe that the former Death Eater had turned his life around so quickly and he wasn't about to let him be the one to protect Glory. Wherever they would be, Snape would be close by, watching them and waiting for Lucius to make a mistake.  
  
As the sun began to rise and the school began to stir, Snape remained deep in thought. He dressed without realizing quite what he was doing and moved toward the Great Hall unconsciously, his mind still on his past and the things he had done to Glory. There were so many faces that flashed through his mind when he thought of his past, so many screams and whimpers of pain that her face had been buried beneath all the people he had stolen life from.   
  
Her arrival and her light hearted reminder of his part in her destruction had unburied every memory of her. Snape remembered pulling her out of her room one night, dragging her up the stairs by her hair and actually ripping her clothing from her body. He'd been so frustrated, so angry with his Potions that he needed someone to take it out on. Glory had been that lucky girl.  
  
He remembered yet another time when he had carried her from the dungeon cell and laid her lovingly on his bed. He had kissed her and caressed her, he remembered the dank smell of her hair from living in the damp basement of the Malfoy home. That night had been toward the end of his days working for Voldemort, only weeks before she had escaped. He had been feeling guilty about all the things he'd done to her and that final time had been the only way he could think to atone for some of the things he'd done.  
  
For one night, Snape had pretended to love her, though in reality her scar had repulsed him and the feeling of her limp hair sliding through his fingers had sent shivers down his spine. Her skin had been cold and had taken on an unhealthy purple tinge. Her lips were dry beneath his and her body had been stick thin, ribs showing through pale skin. Everything about her had disgusted him.  
  
Still, he had held her softly, murmuring things he thought a lover might murmur. Toward the end of the night he had been blessed with a weary smile and that had been enough for him. It wasn't a spoken sign of forgiveness, but Snape never expected forgiveness from anyone. It had been enough to sustain him and enough for him to bury her face in his mind.  
  
Now she was back, staring at him in the face over the breakfast table and teaching the class he ought to be teaching. He was no longer sure if he wanted her forgiveness, for it seemed to be so freely given. Snape hadn't been half as cruel as Lucius and now the bastard was sleeping in her bed. He would never understand how she could put the past behind her with such ease and the extent of her change amazed him even more. She was a different person than the girl he'd attacked ten years ago outside of The Three Broomsticks, completely different.  
  
Snape sighed as he caught sight of Glory and Lucius at the head table. He supposed escaping from Voldemort and becoming an Auror could change a person, but she still made him wonder.   
  
She was a mystery to him, she always would be.  
  
  
* * * * 


	4. Chapter Four

Dedicated to Christina and her staple gun. :)  
  
* * * *  
  
Glory sat at the head table with Lucius by her side and nervously picked at her breakfast. She had been through a lot, both at the hands of the Death Eaters and as an Auror, but nothing could have prepared her to teach a room full of teenagers. She had been one of them not too long ago and she couldn't imagine standing before them and having them listen to her.  
  
"You'll do fine," Lucius murmured, reading her body language easily. "Don't be so nervous."  
  
"How is it that being pursued by Voldemort seems so insignificant when compared to teaching?" she asked, then forced a hollow laugh. Her hand curled tightly around the arm of her chair and she glanced over at Lucius. "Teach the class for me. Please?"  
  
He smiled and gently touched the hand that was holding so tightly to her chair. "You know I don't have the experience you do."  
  
"Sure you do . . ." Glory trailed off and grinned. "You were part of the Dark Arts."  
  
Lucius raised an eyebrow. "Ha ha," he said sarcastically, then pulled back his hand and went back to his breakfast.   
  
"There's the sarcastic and bitter man I'm so used to," she said softly, elbowing him gently. "I'm serious though, would you teach the first class?"  
  
Lucius glanced at her sideways. "I can't and you know it."  
  
She sighed and leaned back in the chair. "I do know it. I'm just very nervous about it."  
  
Lucius nodded. "I can imagine."  
  
"I'm not sure how they'll react to me."  
  
"Trust me," a deep voice drawled from her right, "they will be fine."  
  
Glory glanced up to see Snape standing nearby. He met her eyes for a moment, then pulled out his chair at the head table and sat down. He reached for the goblet in front of him and took a long drink before addressing her again.  
  
"Compared to the other teachers these children have had, I'm sure you will be a breath of fresh air," he said.  
  
"What does that mean?" she asked.  
  
Snape waved his hand in the air. "They've had an absolutely ridiculous line of teachers so far. A Death Eater disguised as an Auror, a werewolf, Voldemort himself and, of course," he paused and sneered, "Gilderoy Lockhart."  
  
Glory nodded. "I've heard of him. He was quite the star a few years back, wasn't he? Not to mention all those books he wrote. They were quite incre-" she stopped short when she noticed the look on Snape's face. His lip had been pulled further back into the sneer and his hands were both clenched into tight fists on the table. She frowned and was about to ask Lucius what Snape's problem was when she noticed the same expression on her guardian's face.   
  
"Wow," she murmured. "Everyone sure seems to be a big fan of Gilderoy."  
  
"He didn't write those books," Lucius said at the same time as Snape burst out, "He couldn't teach a class on anything but his hair!"  
  
"He's a stuck up, self righteous jerk who can't do anything right. And I hate his hair," Lucius growled.  
  
Snape's eyes narrowed. "The most useless man I have ever met. I swear by Merlin's Wand, if I ever hear one more comment about Gilderoy Lockhart and his three time award winning smile I will hunt him down and . . ." he trailed off and looked back at his food.  
  
"Five time award winning smile," Glory corrected, trying to hide the grin building on her face. "And I like his hair."  
  
Both men glared at her and Glory bit her lip. They both looked like they would tip over their chairs as they leapt up to scream at her if she said another word about Gilderoy Lockhart, so she just smiled and went back to her breakfast.  
  
"At least you have something in common," she said, unable to stop herself.   
  
Apparently that comment didn't warrant a response from either man as Dumbledore took his place at the centre of the table, smiling gently at Glory when she caught his eye. He stared out over the school, taking in the new students and the ones he had been watching grow for years already. They were all talking, chattering with their friends about the school year to come. Glory followed his gaze as it crossed over the Slytherin table, then paused on a handsome dark haired boy at the Gryffindor table. They boy obviously felt the Headmaster's gaze on him because he turned, then smiled widely and waved. Glory took in the green eyes and the glasses, then her eyes fell upon the scar of his forehead and she smiled in recognition. That handsome boy was the great Harry Potter.  
  
"He'll be in your first class of the day," Snape said from down the table. "Seventh year Gryffindors and Slytherins. They'll be coming straight from Potions so I wouldn't expect you to see any cheerful Gryffindors."  
  
"They don't like Potions?" Glory asked.  
  
Snape almost smiled at her comment, but just shook his head instead. "Oh no, they don't like me."  
  
Lucius paused in his meal to cast a dark glance in Snape's direction. "There aren't many people in this world that still like you, Severus."  
  
Both of the former Death Eaters stared at each other over the table for a long moment, the tension between them too strong to ignore anymore. Snape's hands were unconsciously clenching into fists, though the rest of his demeanor remained unchanged. Lucius, on the other hand looked ready for the fight that might break out, he looked as if he were hoping it would.  
  
Glory's hand fell on Lucius' wrist and he glanced sharply at her. She stared at him, her fingers tightening slightly on his arm and shook her head slightly. Lucius sighed and glanced away, then nodded and went back to his breakfast.  
  
"Don't start anything," she murmured to Lucius, then shot Snape the same look. "Both of you need to get past some things."  
  
"I would tend to agree," Dumbledore said in a soft voice, then spread his hands and stood. "Welcome back students! Another year is beginning and your classes will begin today. I want to take a moment before breakfast begins to introduce you to our newest professor, Glorificus Beckwith. She will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts and my trust lies with her completely. She is a retired Auror and a former student at Hogwarts and I am sure you will find her lessons stimulating and interesting." He smiled, then clapped his hands. "Enjoy your meal."  
  
"Stimulating and interesting?" Glory murmured, staring at her food. "Now I have to be stimulating and interesting?"  
  
Lucius offered her half a smile.  
  
"I'm doomed," she moaned.  
  
* * * * 


	5. Chapter Five

Notes: Once more, // and \\ indicate the beginning and end of memories.  
  
* * * *   
  
Classes flew by and before she knew it, Glory was finishing the lesson during the last class of the day and assigning a chapter in the textbook for homework. The second year Ravenclaws did nothing but jot the page numbers down as the Hufflepuffs began to murmur about all the homework they were already getting on their first day. She stood at the front of her classroom and watched as the students filed out, then began to collect her own books and papers before stepping out into the hall. She expected to see Lucius leaning against the wall, waiting for her to finish class, but the older man was no where to be seen.  
  
Glory waited for a few minutes, then decided that Lucius and Dumbledore wouldn't be angry with her if she decided to drop her things off in her room without her usual supervision. She turned left and walked quickly down the hall toward the area of the school where the teachers' rooms were. She unlocked her bedroom door with a quick incantation and dropped the books on the desk nearby before shutting the door behind her and glancing around for Lucius. He wasn't in their room either, waiting for her to get back from classes like she thought he might be. He had vowed to be her shadow, after all and now that she was looking for him, her shadow had disappeared.  
  
"Lucius?" she called softly, poking her head into the bathroom. Everything looked exactly as it had that morning before they left and Glory shrugged before heading back toward the hall. If Lucius couldn't be bothered to meet her when he said he was going to, she couldn't be bothered to waste her time looking for him. Not when there was an entire school for her to roam, as well as the grounds outside.   
  
The chill of the approaching fall evening was cooler than Glory had anticipated and she wrapped her robes tighter around her body before casting a quick warming spell over herself. The wind died down around her and a familiar warmth spread through her as she began to walk, her eyes adjusting quickly to the dim light of the late afternoon.   
  
The grounds of Hogwarts were far more beautiful than she remembered them being. Leaves on nearby trees were turning shades of gold and red, then dropping off and floating gently to the ground. Some were caught in an updraft and went spiralling through the air before settling down on the soft grass. The giant squid rolled lazily under the glass surface of the lake, sending gentle ripples over the water that lapped softly at the shore.   
  
Glory turned from the lake and walked toward the Quidditch field, then turned to her right and started up the long path that led to a small bluff that hung over the lake. It was a favourite place for the Astronomy teacher to take the class as night when the tower became too crowded and cold. The sky was always clear over the bluff, no matter what the rest of the sky looked like and the stars always shone through.   
  
Glory had fallen in love with the place as soon as her fourth year Astronomy teacher had taken her class there for one class in midwinter. Without knowing why she had made the place her sanctuary from the jeers of adolescent boys and the catty remarks from her so-called friends. She had been popular in school, there was no questioning that, but being popular had it's price. With so many people paying attention to her, Glory felt she had to be the girl she always pretended to be. The snotty, stuck up, beautiful girl, whose head hadn't held a single brain cell and whose heart didn't ache. She had pretended to have no heart.  
  
On her bluff though, she was someone else. It was the place she went to do the homework assignments teachers never expected her to hand in. It had been the place she went to escape the superficial gossip she had always been part of and the only place she ever went to cry.   
  
"What changed?" she murmured, staring at the sky. Shocks of pink and purple coloured the horizon, reaching toward her with their brilliantly coloured hands. "Was it Severus and Lucius? What was it?"  
  
So many things had changed her from what she once was. Through and through, she had been a lost child, a pretty face with a cocky attitude and no nerve to back up anything she ever said. She had gone through life without thinking, just being something she wasn't because no one had ever forced her to be herself.  
  
Then she had met Severus Snape.  
  
He had torn her from the comfortable life she was living, the lie she had been living and forced her to reassess who she really was. In the depths of the Malfoy house she couldn't rely on her physical beauty to keep her alive, it had been her looks that had gotten her into trouble in the first place. Instead, Glory had to call on something she hadn't used in a very long time, an inner strength she had almost forgotten still lived within her. Because of Snape's violent attack and Lucius' brutal rapes, she had become a different person. Maybe the person she had always wanted to be.  
  
The escape hadn't been easy, but she had done it and as soon as she had spoken the words there had been no turning back.  
  
  
  
//She wasn't stupid, despite what her classmates might have said about her at one point. If Lucius or Snape had come for her that night she wouldn't have bothered trying to escape because they were powerful and she knew it. Even with a stolen wand hidden under her mattress she wouldn't have won against them. But that night, it appeared luck was on her side, for the man that came to her was an inexperienced Death Eater, not many years older than she was.  
  
"What's your name?" he asked gruffly, after finishing with her. He was leaning heavily on her chest and she squirmed beneath him, trying to find a more comfortable position. "I asked what your name is."   
  
She stared at him for a long moment. "Glory. Not that anyone ever bothered to use it."  
  
"Glory," he murmured, reaching out and stroking her face. "That's a beautiful name."  
  
"So?" she asked, pushing him away and sitting up in her cot. She began to dress, indicating to the young man that their time was over. If he had been ranked any higher he might have become angry, dressing before he did was not a stunt she ever would have pulled with Lucius, but Glory knew who she could push around and who she couldn't.  
  
"I'll be back," the young man said, tucking his shirt into his pants and shrugging back into his black robe. "You're a pretty one."  
  
Glory nodded, watching him from the corner of her eye as her hand reached toward the stolen wand. She had taken it from the son of a Death Eater, a boy two years younger than her who had tried to take advantage of her. He still didn't even know it was missing.  
  
When the Death Eater's hand was on the door, the key in the lock that she couldn't open from the inside, no matter what spell she tried, Glory pulled the wand from its hiding place. As the door inched open slightly, she pointed it and uttered the word that she knew could kill the young man.  
  
"Crucio."  
  
He dropped instantly and Glory ran for the door, not knowing if he was a screamer. If he was, he could alert the entire house to her escape in less than thirty seconds, so she had to move quickly. Her tired, thin legs took her across the threshold of her cell and into the dank dungeons of the mansion. The Death Eater behind her made an unconscious grab for her leg, but missed and went on writhing on the dirty floor. He hadn't screamed yet and that was good.  
  
Glory moved quickly, the wand still held in front of her as she ran toward the stairs. She ran softly up the stairs, her bare feet barely making a noise on the stone steps and her breath coming out in a near silent whisper. She had practiced being quiet, knowing that her life could depend on her ability to keep her breathing silent.  
  
The hall above her was dark, but Glory didn't dare light the end of the wand to help her see. Instead, she moved soundlessly over the wooden floor, her hand held out in front of her to prevent her from knocking anything over and call unnecessary attention to herself. A voice came from ahead and she immediately shrunk against the wall, making herself as small as possible.  
  
A torch bobbed toward her, but the light barely reached the corners making it easy for her to keep her body in the shadows. She knew the voice of the man holding the torch and she trembled, hoping with everything she had that if she was found, it would not be by him.  
  
Lucius Malfoy passed without so much as looking in her direction, a gorgeous woman on his arm and a small boy by his side. The boy couldn't have been more than ten years old, but Glory could hear Lucius' words to the child.  
  
"You know them now, unforgivable or not at that ridiculous school you'll be attending, and I'll be expecting to see you using them whenever you have the chance."  
  
"But father," the boy began.  
  
"But nothing, Draco," the woman said sharply. "You know your place in this world and by the time you start attending that bloody Hogwarts, you'll be acting like it."  
  
Draco's head fell. "Yes, mother."  
  
Glory's eyes narrowed as she watched the family pass, but she said nothing and kept herself hidden and pressed to the wall. As soon as the torchlight disappeared in the other direction, Glory continued her escape down the hall and soon found herself in a brightly lit foyer.   
  
There was a door. The front door.  
  
For a moment, she abandoned all caution and raced across the front hall, ignoring the fact that a Death Eater could come out of any room at any moment. The wand she held clattered to the floor and she grabbed the door knob tightly in her hand, ready to throw it open and escape into the sunlight.  
  
"I wouldn't do that," a voice said from behind her.  
  
Glory whirled around to see Snape halfway up the staircase, staring at her curiously. She fumbled for the wand she had dropped and knelt to the floor, picking it up with trembling fingers.  
  
"Why not?" she asked.  
  
"There are guards at the front gate. You might get out of the house, but without help you'll never get off the grounds," he said.  
  
Her lower lip trembled. "I'll find a way."  
  
"You won't."  
  
"You can't tell me that I've come this far just to lose now," she murmured.  
  
Snape came down the rest of the stairs, then turned into a room on his left and pulled a black robe off a hanger. He walked toward her quickly and Glory instinctively took a step back, not knowing what he would do to her.  
  
Snape paused, staring at her and for a moment she thought she saw his eyes flash with guilt and sadness.  
  
"Put this on," he growled, throwing the robe at her.   
  
She caught it and shrugged into it, pulling the hood over her face and tucking her dirty hair behind her ears. Snape pulled his own hood up, then grabbed her arm and opened the front door.  
  
"Put the wand away," he hissed as they walked. "Don't say anything, don't look at anyone. Keep your head down and your mouth shut and I'll get you out of here."  
  
"Why?" Glory asked.  
  
"Why what?"  
  
"Why are you helping me get out?"  
  
Snape didn't answer, just tightened his grip on her arm and dragged her along to the front gates. A few yards away he released her, but continued walking and Glory had to hurry to keep up with him. The guards at te gate simply nodded at them and let them pass through.   
  
Glory and Snape walked to the nearby village in silence, even though there was a thousand questions Glory wanted answers for. Instead she kept her mouth shut and the hood covering her face until they reached a quiet Inn.  
  
"You can stay here or keep walking," Snape said.  
  
"I don't have any money," Glory said softly, pushing back the hood and taking in the small village around her. As her hands lowered from her face, Snape's hands brushed up against them, taking them gently in his own.  
  
Glory stared at him in surprise and tried to take her hands back. Snape held them tightly, then pressed a soft pouch into them. The coins inside clinked against one another and she stared at the money in shock.  
  
"That should be enough for two weeks worth of meals and a place to stay," he said. "Don't stick around here for more than a night because they'll be looking for you soon enough."  
  
Glory nodded, still staring at the pouch of money. "Thank you," she murmured. "I really appreciate this."  
  
Snape shrugged. "I needed to help," he said, then turned his back on her and began the long walk back toward the mansion. Glory watched him disappear around a bend, then turned to the Inn, debating whether or not she should stay there for the night.  
  
Her stomach growled loudly and she was suddenly very aware of how weary she felt. Nothing appealed to her more than having a good meal and a place to sleep for the night. A soft bed with real blankets and a warm pillow.  
  
Glory disappeared into the Inn, her mind already past the things Severus Snape had done for her. She never expected to see him again. //  
  
  
  
Now she taught in the same school as he did, eight years later she shared a breakfast table with the man who had helped her escape from Voldemort. As she stood alone on the bluff, Glory couldn't help but wonder if maybe she should really thank him for everything he had done. He had changed her and then he had helped her.   
  
  
* * * * 


	6. Chapter Six

* * * *  
  
Snape stood on the path behind Glory and watched as she turned her face up toward the setting sun. Her blonde hair drifted off her face in the wind and she closed her eyes to the sky, obviously enjoying the early evening. The sun glinted off the silverly skin of her scar and Snape winced, not wanting to look at the mark he had forced her to live with forever, but unable to look away. She was still beautiful, she always would be, but something inside her had changed when he had given her that scar.  
  
He was tempted for a moment to go up to her and try to talk. She was a professor at the school now and he assumed that eventually, their conversations would move past the idle chit chat most of the teachers made. They had a lot of history together, as grusome and disturbing as it was and they wouldn't be able to avoid it forever. As carefree as Glory seemed to other staff members and to her students, Snape could see the lurking pain left over from her experiences in the Malfoy home.   
  
The power simmered under her skin, ready to strike at any moment, but she barely noticed it. The accumulation of power had taken place over such a long period of time that Glory herself hadn't even noticed the change at first. No one ever knew what she was possible of, no one had seen a demonstration of her power, not even Voldemort. He wanted her, he thought he knew what he could make her do, but no one was certain.  
  
Snape sighed and he began to walk up the path knowing he should say something to her. As he walked, Lucius Malfoy stepped out of the bushes by Glory's side and touched her shoulder lightly. Snape nearly laughed when she jumped and whirled to face him, but the smile slid off his lips when Lucius was thrown toward the edge of the bluff by some unseen force. The blonde man's arms flailed, reaching desperately for something to hold onto and Snape immediately ran toward him, pushing past Glory and grabbing Lucius' hand.  
  
The muscles in Snape's arms tightened, drawing Lucius toward him and praying that he wouldn't be pulled off the edge. The air weighed heavily down on him as he pulled back, making him feel as if someone had thrown a blanket over him and was trying to suffocate him. Snape shoved off the feeling and yanked one last time, hauling Lucius back toward him and stumbling to the ground. Lucius fell on top of him and Snape's breath was pushed from his lungs as Lucius' elbow dug into his stomach. They lay on the ground for a long moment, arms tangled in their robes and chests heaving from the exertion.  
  
Slowly, Lucius sat up and looked at Glory. She was standing a few feet away with her hands over her face. She was shivering violently and a low moan escaped her mouth every few seconds as she rocked, still hiding her face from the men.  
  
"Glory," Lucius said, standing and going over to her. His fingertips brushed against her arm and she recoiled, backing away from him.   
  
"No, don't touch me," she murmured, shrinking further away.  
  
"Lucius, don't," Snape said sharply. "She'll back right off the edge."  
  
"Oh." He stopped suddenly, then turned and walked away from her. "I didn't think."  
  
"Apparently," Snape answered.  
  
Lucius shot him a cold glare, but said nothing more as he waited for Glory to recover. Eventually her hands came away from her face and she blinked at them a few times before stepping away from the edge of the bluff. Her skin was waxy and pale and she limped slightly as she walked toward Lucius, holding out her hand to him.  
  
"Don't do that," she murmured, her voice strained. "Never sneak up on me. Never!"  
  
Lucius nodded and they all fell silent, the tension on the cliff slowly ebbing away as Glory's shivering stopped. Snape was still on the ground, staring at her and waiting for some kind of explanation as to what had happened.  
  
"Is that what happens?" he asked finally.  
  
Glory nodded. "When I get scared or surprised it just expels some of that energy." Her trembling hand reached toward Lucius. "Are you okay?"  
  
He nodded. "I will live."  
  
"You wouldn't have if Severus hadn't been here," she said.  
  
Snape waved his hand as he stood. "I just reacted."  
  
"You saved him," she corrected.  
  
Snape's dark eyes caught and held her gaze. "I don't trust him," he said. "You ought to know that. I may have saved him, but I don't like him." His gaze shifted to Lucius' pale eyes. "I'm going to watch you very closely, Malfoy. I know he killed Narcissa, but I don't think your loyalty faded at all. You turn her over to him and I will make sure that you regret it." He glared at Lucius for a moment longer, then turned and swept down the path, his dark robes billowing around his body.  
  
"What did I tell you?" Lucius asked.  
  
Glory glanced at him. "Dumbledore trusts you and I trust you. That's more than he had when he first came back."  
  
Lucius shook his head. "I don't think this is worth it. I should just go and leave you under Snape's care."  
  
"I don't want to be left under his care," Glory said vehemently, approaching Lucius and staring at him. "If you leave Voldemort will find you and he will kill you." She paused. "Where were you earlier?"  
  
"Hmm . . . oh, with Dumbledore," Lucius explained. "We were in his office. He had me come find you when he realized your class would be finished."  
  
"Oh," was Glory's only response.  
  
"You don't trust me either," Lucius said.  
  
"I do," Glory assured him. "I was just worried."  
  
Lucius shook his head. "Don't lie to me. I know you."  
  
Glory's eyes narrowed and she glanced at him again. "You don't know everything about me, Lucius. Don't think you do just because you raped me a few times."  
  
He winced at her words and turned away. "That's not it."  
  
"Forget it," Glory said. "Just don't sneak up on me ever again." She held his gaze for a moment longer, then turned and began to walk down the path, her hair swaying softly against her back. Lucius watched her for a long time, then followed when she had nearly reached the bottom. It nearly killed him, remembering what he had done to her and he hated himself for that and for the way he felt toward her now. Narcissa had been dead only five months and now his heart ached for someone new. But the woman he had destroyed inside and out? The woman he had raped repeatedly and was now supposed to protect?  
  
With a deep sigh, Lucius started down the footpath, promising himself to return to the man he had once been. The man who didn't get light headed at the sight of a beautiful young woman. He didn't need her, especially not now. He would never need her.  
  
  
* * * * 


	7. Chapter Seven

Short chapter, I know. Needed to get something out tonight.  
  
* * * *  
  
Dinner came and went without incident, though the tension between Lucius and Snape had grown and it was now noticeable enough that Dumbledore had asked them both up to his office after the meal had ended. Glory took the opportunity to escape the constant glances from Lucius and followed some of the students outside to watch a Quidditch practice in progress. Her heart beat faster as she watched Potter zoom through the air and take a nose dive toward the ground. He pulled out of it at the last moment and Glory had to laugh, clasping her hand over her pounding heart.   
  
It had been ages since she had flown, even longer since she had played a game of Quidditch but the sight of the students flying through the air made her want to get her broom out of the closet and join them.  
  
"Professor Beckwith!" a strong voice called her and Glory turned to see Harry Potter walking toward her. He looked slightly out of breath, but was smiling and clutching his broom tightly.  
  
"Mr. Potter," she said, smiling at him.  
  
"I heard you played Quidditch when you went to school here," he said.  
  
Glory smiled slightly, at least the boy got straight to the point. "Word travels quickly."  
  
"Snape . . . er, Professor Snape mentioned it in class today."  
  
Glory arched an eyebrow. "Did he?"  
  
Harry nodded. "He said you were one of the best Beaters Ravenclaw had ever seen. That's what I wanted to talk to you about, actually. We never have enough professors who want to referee our games, so I thought I might ask you."  
  
Glory's eyes went back to the sky and she heaved a sigh. "I'll think about it, Potter," she said softly. "I'd certainly love to get back on a broom again."  
  
Harry beamed at her and nodded. "Thanks a lot, Professor Beckwith. I'll see you in class on Wednesday."  
  
Glory nodded, her eyes still following the zooming players who were quickly disappearing into the night sky. How free she had felt on a broom, the wind whipping through her hair, the limitless sky before her. They had asked her not to fly anymore when word reached them that Voldemort wanted her. That was when the Ministry had forced her to retire from being an Auror as well. She hated that they could dictate her life, but they were right. Her presence was a risk to everyone.  
  
"Glorificus Beckwith?"  
  
Hearing her name startled her and Glory turned toward the source of the noise, expelling a burst of energy as she did. The man in the shadows groaned slightly, but it didn't seem to hurt him too badly as he limped into the light. He looked haggard and worn, ten years older than he probably was. He was thin, too thin almost and a thick stubble covered his chin and cheeks.  
  
"Yes?" she asked.  
  
"Remus Lupin," he said, holding out his hand and introducing himself.  
  
Glory took his head and shook it gently, feeling the cool skin and the shaking fingers. He looked deathly ill.  
  
"We have to get you to the hospital wing," she said, reaching for his arm.  
  
Lupin shook her off. "I need to see Severus Snape and I'll be fine." He paused and brushed back the long hair that hung in his eyes. "It's you I came to see, actually."  
  
Glory frowned. "Me?"  
  
"Yes, Miss. Beckwith," he said.  
  
"Call me Glory."  
  
Lupin nodded. "As long as you call me Remus."  
  
Glory smiled. "Of course."  
  
"Then Glory, I'm afraid I may have some bad news," Lupin continued, limping toward the school. "Rumours are spreading like wildfire. Voldemort wants you and he's not going to wait much longer."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
Lupin met her eyes. "I taught Defense Against the Dark Arts. It's my job to know."  
  
Glory stared at him a long moment, then said, "You're the werewolf then?"  
  
Lupin nodded. "I'm the werewolf." His gaze slid from hers and he began to self consciously pick at the hem of his jacket. "I understand if that bothers you . . . I'm used to it."  
  
Glory look at him, then shrugged slightly. "Look at my face, Remus. You felt what came out of me just a few minutes ago. You're the werewolf and I'm the freak. We make a good pair."  
  
Lupin's eyes met hers again and he saw the truthfulness in her words there. With a smile, he continued talking and led her toward the school. His light demeanor and words were hiding what he really felt; utter terror for what the Dark Lord might do to the young woman by his side. The rumours had been spreading, that hadn't been a lie, but Lupin hadn't told her what those rumours were. He didn't think she needed to hear what Voldemort would do once he got his hands on her.  
  
He wanted her power and he vowed to tear her inside out to find it.  
  
  
* * * * 


	8. Chapter Eight

Once again // and \\ for memories.  
  
* * * *  
  
As they neared Dumbledore's office, Glory could feel a change in Lupin's energy. His determination faltered slightly and he stumbled, bracing himself against the stone wall. He looked paler than earlier and the threads of grey throughout his hair looked more prominent.   
  
"Are you okay?" she asked softly.  
  
Lupin nodded. "I'll be fine."  
  
"You don't look fine," Glory said.  
  
Lupin shut his eyes and leaned against the wall heavily. "Can you get Severus for me?"  
  
Glory nodded. "Of course. Will you be alright here by yourself?"  
  
"Please, just hurry."  
  
The urgency in his voice caused Glory to move quickly, her feet passing quickly over the floor and up the stairs that led to Dumbledore's office. Behind her she could hear Lupin's laboured breathing and though she didn't want to risk falling, she glanced back over her shoulder. His body was shaking and he looked suddenly larger. He was turning, right in the middle of the school Remus Lupin was about to turn into a werewolf.  
  
"Severus!" she called, banging against Dumbledore's office door. She didn't know the password, had never thought to ask what it might be. "Severus! I need you!" Glory pounded her fists against the cold stone, not knowing if it would do any good. They could be floors up, she had never been inside the Headmaster's office before, she didn't know how far away from the door they might be.  
  
"Bloody hell!" she cried, kicking the door hard. Her foot throbbed and she tried again. "Severus! Lucius! Anyone! Someone needs help out here. Severus, I need your help!"  
  
The door slid open a second later, startling Glory so much that she jumped back and nearly toppled down the stairs behind her. Lucius' strong hand clamped onto her forearm and held her up as Snape's startled face appeared above her.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Remus," she said, pointing down the hall.  
  
Snape knew immediately what she was talking about and he disappeared from their sight before anyone could say another word. She heard him say something to Lupin, then saw a flurry of motion as the Potions Master hauled the other man to his feet and dragged him down the hall.  
  
"Good thing Severus was nearby," Dumbledore said softly, coming out of the office. "It wouldn't do to have Remus turning into a werewolf right in the hall." Without another word, he walked past the two on the landing and slowly moved into the direction of the Great Hall.  
  
Glory and Lucius remained silent for a long moment, his hand still clutching her arm tightly. His presence was comforting somehow, steadying after her uncertainty that she would be able to get to Snape in time. It hadn't just been Lupin she had been afraid for, but herself as well. If he had turned into the werewolf he would have ripped her apart.  
  
"Lucius," she said finally, shaking her arm from his grasp. "Are you okay?" She turned up to meet his gaze and was shocked by the way he was staring down at her. Glory's mind reeled back to a time not very long ago when she had seen him staring at his dead wife in that very same way.  
  
  
  
//  
"Narcissa?" The scream pierced the musky air of the house, shattering the tense silence that had been building for the past hour. There was no answer to the call of the name and footsteps pounded above them furiously.  
  
Glory's hand went to the arm of the woman by her side. Her best friend and fellow Auror, Daphne Heyman, had tensed beside her, ready to spring at any moment. Glory shook her head, their time to attack had not come yet and she wouldn't lose another member of her team in the Malfoy manor.  
  
"Don't move, Daphne," Glory said softly.  
  
The petite woman by her side growled deep in her throat. It was a sound of frustration she often made, one Glory was used to hearing, especially on missions of high importance. That day they had a simple motive; bring Lucius Malfoy back to the Ministry and see what he had to say for himself.  
  
"Narcissa?" The deep voice called out again, more hopeful this time, sounding more like a child and less like the cold and calculated man they knew it came from.   
  
"Poor little Malfoy, lost his wife and doesn't know where to find her," Daphne muttered. "Maybe if he hadn't been so busy playing with whores all his life she wouldn't have taken off."  
  
Glory's eyes remained glued to the staircase, but her spirits dropped and if she could have lowered her gaze in shame, she would have. "They're not whores, Daphne. They're lost girls."  
  
"I . . . oh shit, Glor, you know I didn't mean it."  
  
"Just watch the hall," Glory ordered.  
  
Daphne fell silent, her eyes sullen but alert all the same. She knew better than to slack, especially when Glory was in charge of the case. Best friend or not, Glory wouldn't hesitate to call her on a screw up and Daphne knew it.  
  
Footsteps thumped loudly on the stairs and Glory's muscles tensed, her hand gripping her wand tightly. Lucius Malfoy's feet appeared, then his legs and torso and finally his head. His eyes were huge, staring blindly through everything, searching for his wife. He normally looked so pulled together, but as he came down the stairs Glory could see his hair was in his face and his shirt was untucked and rumpled.  
  
"Narcissa?" he pleaded with the empty air. "Please baby, where are you?"  
  
As Glory watched him she felt some of her hatred melt away. Standing before her was the man who had made every day of her life miserable for nearly a year and now she was feeling sorry for him. He looked so lost, so vulnerable, like any other human.  
  
"He really loved her," Daphne breathed incredulously.   
  
Glory turned slightly and saw the same pity reflected in her friend's dark eyes. So she wasn't going soft, Lucius had actually provoked feelings within the Aurors who were crouched in the shadows of his home.  
  
They watched him for a few more minutes, trying to decide between the two of them when would be the right time to attack him. They waited too long and Glory felt the temperature in the room drop a few degrees before she even looked over to the door to see who had entered. The hairs on her arms rose as she turned toward the door and saw Voldemort standing there with Narcissa by his arm. The Dark Lord was frightening, but that wasn't what cause Glory to place her hand over her mouth.  
  
Narcissa Malfoy looked battered and bruised, and Glory couldn't help but remember a time when she had looked just like that. The beautiful woman had been so badly beaten that her nose no longer looked like anything remotely close to a human feature and blood smeared her blonde hair.   
  
"Narcissa!" Lucius' voice split the silence and he moved toward his wife. Before he could reach her, Voldemort's wand came out and he held his follower at a length. Lucius' eyes never left Narcissa's face, though she looked like she was beyond seeing anything.  
  
"She betrayed me," Voldemort hissed.  
  
"No," Lucius said. "She didn't. She never would have."  
  
"She did," he growled. "And for her betrayal she will die."  
  
"No!" Lucius' head dropped, but his fingers reached out for his wife. "Please don't do this."  
  
Voldemort's voice cracked through the air like a whip. "I've never heard you beg, Lucius. Going soft on me?"  
  
Lucius didn't respond, he just backed away from the Dark Lord's holding spell and moved around the large living room. His hands were shaking angrily and it was obvious from the look on his face that he didn't know what to do.  
  
"I could save her," Glory whispered.  
  
Daphne's hand came down on her arm. "Don't even think about it. You'd die."  
  
"I can't leave her to just die."  
  
"She's a Death Eater," Daphne said.  
  
Glory's eyes narrowed. "So?" She sighed. "I know with what I've been through that I should hate them, but I can't. They deserve a second chance just like everyone else."  
  
"You're not risking your life for a Death Eater who's already half dead," Daphne said. "Don't argue with my Glory, that's final."  
  
So Glory conceded to watch as Lucius paced like a cornered tiger while Voldemort gently pushed his buttons. Every so often Narcissa would let out a pained whimper and Lucius would cringe, but nothing more.   
  
"She's going to die," Voldemort said softly and reached for Narcissa's throat with one thin hand. His fingers wrapped around her and pressed into her skin, cutting off her air and she came alive suddenly. She kicked, scratched, tried to scream and did whatever she could to escape. Lucius was still held at a distance, screaming to his Lord, to his wife, to anyone who would listen to him.  
  
Within minutes she was dead, her muscles twitching as the oxygen left them and Voldemort dropped her lifeless body to the floor. Lucius was by her side in an instant, the look on his face one of pure agony. He was lost one moment, then filled with rage the next. His body shook with bottled anger and for a moment it looked like he would turn his fury on Voldemort. Instead he waited as the Dark Lord shifted from his position and disappeared down the long hall.  
  
"Narcissa," Lucius breath, taking her hand in his. Already, her skin was growing cold. "Don't die. You can't die."  
  
Glory stood and left her hiding place, entering the living room slowly. "She's already dead."  
  
Lucius turned to her, unshed tears shimmering in his pale eyes. "You," he said finally, after studying her for a long moment. "What are you doing back here? You escaped."  
  
"I'm an Auror now," Glory explained.  
  
Lucius' eyes narrowed. "You could have saved her."  
  
Glory shook her head. "I'm here to arrest you, nothing more."  
  
"You should have saved her. That's your job."  
  
Glory ignored his words. "Lucius Malfoy, you are under arrest under the order of Merlin and the London Ministry of Magic. You are charged with possession of dark artifacts as well as loyalty to the Dark Lord, Voldemort. If you wish to contact a relative we will allow you to do so at the Ministry station. You will be subject to a fair trail and may be placed in Azkaban if you are found guilty of your crimes. Do you understand what I have just told you?"  
  
Lucius' eyes went back to his wife.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, do you understand?" Glory asked.  
  
His blue eyes met her and she faltered. She had never seen a human being look so alone.  
  
\\  
  
  
"Don't look at me like that," Glory said suddenly, ducking her head.  
  
Lucius sighed. "Sorry."  
  
"I'm going back to the room," she said, smiling slightly, then walking briskly down the hall.  
  
Lucius stared after her, then sunk to the floor with his head in his hands. Hadn't he just sworn, that very day, to act as if he didn't need Glory? Hadn't he just promised to keep his wandering thoughts to his job at hand? Nothing could be gained by staring at her like he was going to lose her, because she wasn't going anywhere. But when he had heard her screaming at the door, his only thought had been of her safety. The only thought running through his mind was that he was going to lose her, just like he had lost Narcissa.  
  
Lucius sighed and shook his head. He had to stop thinking that way because she wasn't his to lose.  
  
* * * * 


	9. Chapter Nine

This chapter for Dia ... alright, LOVE? *grins innocently*  
  
* * * *  
  
"Lupin, what are you doing here?" Snape asked, a few minutes after the other man had gulped down the potion. "You knew it was too close to the full moon, so why are you here?"  
  
"I've been travelling, Severus," Lupin said, wiping his mouth and leaning back in his chair. "I've heard many things over the past few months, but nothing like the things I've heard right here at home."  
  
"That doesn't explain why you came back so close to the time you would change," Snape said. "You're not stupid Lupin, I know you."  
  
"She's in danger," he said, rolling his shoulders and sitting forward. "She's in a lot of danger."  
  
"Glory?" Snape asked.  
  
Lupin nodded. "Voldemort is still very strong and he has many followers. They're searching for her now and they're getting close." He sighed and stretched. "She's not safe, Severus, not even here. He'll find her wherever you hide her and-"  
  
"I haven't hidden her anywhere," Snape said, cutting Lupin off. "She's Lucius' responsibility, not mine."  
  
Lupin raised his eyebrows. "But you don't trust him?"  
  
"What gave you that idea?"  
  
"I know you better than you think I do."  
  
Snape sighed and brushed off the comment. "He was a Death Eater."  
  
"And what did you call yourself when you were within Voldemort's ranks?" Lupin asked, his brow creasing as he frowned. "Weren't you a Death Eater?"  
  
"I didn't say she should trust me," Snape began.  
  
Lupin's eyes narrowed. "She trusts him, Severus," he said. "Isn't that all that really matters? She trusts him and I think she is right to do so."  
  
"You're just angry at me for what I did to her," Snape murmured.  
  
"You're damn right I'm angry!" Lupin burst out suddenly. "How long have I pretended that I didn't know? How long did I wait for her to come back?"  
  
Snape glanced sharply at the other man. He had never heard Lupin raise his voice before, never in the entire time they had known each other had Lupin ever directed anger at anyone.  
  
"I don't know," he said tiredly. "A long time, I suppose."  
  
Lupin sunk back into his chair and laughed bitterly. "A very long time. And for what? The girl didn't even know I was alive."  
  
Snape sighed. "Everyone was in love with her, weren't they?"  
  
Lupin nodded and grinned slightly. "With good reason, she was gorgeous."  
  
"She's not anymore?"  
  
"Of course she is but . . . you and Lucius changed something inside of her. She's different."  
  
"She suffered through many things," Snape said.  
  
"And came out stronger, yeah, I've heard the story before."  
  
They fell silent as Lupin shifted uncomfortably in his chair.  
  
"She really didn't know you were alive, did she?" Snape asked.  
  
Lupin lowered his eyes. "No, she didn't."  
  
"She knows now," Snape suggested, attempting to sound helpful.  
  
Lupin laughed again. "You sound like you're suggesting I ask her out."  
  
Snape shrugged.  
  
"Merlin's Beard, you don't get it, do you?" Lupin asked. "I'm not here to find a girlfriend, or to tie up loose ends on an unrequited crush. I'm here because she will die unless we do something about it."  
  
Snape glared at the other man. "Oh, you're just completely selfless, aren't you Lupin? Is that what it's really about? I doubt it. I saw you that night, I saw you every night. You were so in love with her that you couldn't see straight. I still think you're blinded by her."  
  
"I'm not here for myself," Lupin insisted.  
  
Snape shook his head. "Not just for yourself. But I remember, Lupin. I remember . . ."  
  
  
//  
  
It was the third night Severus Snape had been in the Three Broomsticks to watch the blonde girl he planned on taking to Voldemort. It was the third night in a row that he had watched her, memorized her schedule and planned his abduction. It was also the third night that he saw Remus Lupin sitting at a corner table. The werewolf sat at the same table every night and ordered the same meal along with three or four redcurrant rums spread over the evening. Never enough to help Lupin quite work up the courage to say more than 'thank you' and 'have a nice evening' to the lovely blonde.  
  
It also gave Snape enough pleasure to postpone his abduction, nothing was better than watching a former Marauder make a fool out of himself, especially over a girl who was at least eight years his junior. Lupin would do the same thing every night and Snape could watch the battle rage across his face as he attempted to screw up the courage to ask the blonde waitress her name.  
  
He finally managed on the third night and Snape grinned slightly. He had to give Lupin credit, he never thought he'd get any words out without stumbling over them.  
  
"Your meal was okay?" the girl asked, collecting his plate and setting down another rum.  
  
Lupin nodded. "Yes, thanks."  
  
"Did you need anything else?" she asked.  
  
He paused, opened his mouth and coughed.  
  
The girl frowned. "I'm sorry?"  
  
"Your name?"  
  
It was as if she could sense his longing for her and her face lit up in a grin Snape had seen before. It was the same grin she got every time a man offered to buy her a drink or take her home for the evening. She knew how to play men and she was going to do the exact same thing to Remus Lupin.  
  
"Glory," she told him with a smile. She bent over his table, collecting a small plate from the other side and giving Lupin a fair view down her shirt. Snape stifled a laugh as a blush crept up Lupin's neck and he immediately diverted his gaze.  
  
"What's yours?" she asked, straightening.  
  
"Remus," he said.  
  
Glory tossed him another smile. "Nice to meet you, Remus. Will I see you again tomorrow?"  
  
He nodded, then took a sip of his rum. "Of course."  
  
"Good. I look forward to it," she said, then swished away from his table, tossing a final grin over her shoulder. She circled the room, then returned to the bar with an order of four Butterbeers.   
  
Snape could see Lupin watching her, his eyes filled with hope that he would actually be able to establish something with the girl. Snape grinned slightly and shook his head.  
  
"Not this girl," he murmured to himself. "She already belongs to the Dark Lord."  
//  
  
  
"I was stupid to think she was coming back," Lupin said. "I remember seeing you there, thinking that you were just there for a drink. Too bad I didn't know, huh Severus? I could have stopped it from happening."  
  
Snape closed his eyes. "Perhaps."  
  
"I suppose it's too late for regrets, though. She was a beautiful face and I was a young man."  
  
Snape opened his dark eyes and stared at Lupin. "She still is a beautiful face and you still are a young man."  
  
Lupin smiled slightly. "Not as young as I once was. And at that point the beautiful face wasn't in love with someone else."  
  
Snape narrowed his eyes. "Glory isn't in love with anyone."  
  
"Of course she is. He's her saviour . . . he's her protector. She feels safe with him and even I can see it, Severus."  
  
Snape paused, then his eyes widened. "Lucius?"  
  
"Who else?" Lupin asked.  
  
"That's not possible."  
  
Lupin smiled as he rose. "If you think that, then it's apparent she has more than just herself fooled." He went to the door of the dungeon classroom and turned back slightly. "Good night, Severus."   
  
Snape leaned back in his chair and sighed. Lucius? Was that really possible? The man who had destroyed her was the one she was now in love with? Snape shook his head. If that was true, then the world was far more twisted than he had once thought.  
  
* * * * 


	10. Chapter Ten

* * * *  
  
Glory changed quickly and turned down the comforter on her bed, sliding between the sheets. Lucius had come into the room a few minutes earlier and had gone straight to their makeshift living room. He sat in the only chair and lit a fire with his wand, then closed his eyes. Glory wondered if he was planning on sleeping out there, but she convinced herself that she didn't care. If he wanted to sleep there, he could. It was his own fault for making her uncomfortable in the first place.  
  
She pulled the comforter over her shoulders and laid her head down on the pillow, whispering a charm to put out the candles in the room. Lucius remained where he was, the crackling fire throwing shadows over the walls. Glory sighed, then closed her eyes and quickly drifted into a dream.  
  
  
His eyes burned into hers, sharp and clear. They were filled with malice, hatred for her though she didn't know what she had ever done wrong. His eyes were grey, with threads of blue shattering the solid color. They were gorgeous eyes, the most beautiful she had ever seen, but she hated them more than anything. His fury always bubbled behind them, anger at whatever she had done to him.  
  
He was so angry. Filled with rage and hatred for someone or something. She didn't know, didn't want to know. She thought part of it was her, her ability to keep part of him every time he hurt her, but she didn't know for sure. It was impossible to read anything in him past the anger, there was no apparent reason for anything he did, especially for the things he did to her.   
  
As she tried to separate herself from the situation, his hand came down, slapping her face hard. Her cheek stung with the impact and her hands immediately went to the place he had hit her. His strong hand grabbed hers and pulled it away, placing it on his chest. She braced herself against him, hating him more than anything.   
  
"Don't push me away," he hissed, his mouth coming down to whisper in her ear. He bit her ear lobe sharply and she whimpered as a bead of blood trickled from the wound. Before it could slip off her skin and soak into the thin bed sheet beneath her, his tongue was on her ear, gently licking the tiny wound. Another whimper escaped her mouth and she hated herself as well, hated knowing what he could do to her.  
  
"Shut up," he hissed, his mouth travelling across her jawline. "Shut the hell up."  
  
She obeyed him, pressing any further moans of despair down into her throat. He would haunt her forever, she knew that now as he pushed himself into her and pretended as if they were lovers and not bitter enemies. The memories of his invasion, his harsh words and his punches, followed by his soft whispers in her ear; all of it would follow her forever. She would never escape him.  
  
"Lucius," the name escaped her before she realized what she was doing. She had never called him anything before, especially not his first name.  
  
He glanced down at her, shocked that she would speak his name when he had just told her to shut up. He stopped moving and pressed his hands down on her wrists, studying the look in her eyes. They were angry and hurt and . . . lost? Was that what he was seeing? A lost little girl behind the eyes of a woman.  
  
"Lucius, don't hurt me," she murmured.  
  
Anger surged within him at her request. Who did she think she was to be telling him not to hurt her? He was about to raise his hand to hit her again, but stopped himself and continued to stare at her. Without know why, without any real reason, he nodded slowly and resumed his gentle rhythm.   
  
It was a revelation in their relationship, as sick and twisted as it was. He didn't really want to hurt her, not all the time. He might have been evil, but part of him was still human. For the first time in many nights, she didn't completely hate his eyes when he looked down on her. She didn't close her own eyes and turn away when he met her gaze, but held it steady and watched the emotions battle under their surface.  
  
"Lucius," she whispered, her mouth closing in on his . . .  
  
  
"Glory!"  
  
Her name shattered through her dream and she woke up with a start, finding herself staring into the same grey eyes she had just been dreaming about. She flushed deeply when she remembered the dream. She had been right, he would always haunt her, but slowly her mind was beginning to turn those awful memories into ones that weren't as bad.  
  
"Are you all right?" he asked, touching her forehead lightly. "You were whimpering in your sleep and then you said my name and I thought . . ." he trailed off. "I thought you might have been remembering something."  
  
Glory shook her head and sat up slowly. "I'm fine, Lucius. I just . . ." she trailed off as well and tried not to smile.  
  
"What?" Lucius asked, trying to decipher the half smile on her face.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"That smile is not nothing," he said, studying her. "What are you grinning about?"  
  
"Just the dream," she said quickly, not realizing that once the words were out of her mouth Lucius might figure out exactly what she had been dreaming about.  
  
"The dream?" he asked. "It sounded . . . painful."  
  
"It was, at first," Glory said. "But it was nothing. You made a joke in the dream, that's all."  
  
Lucius cocked an eyebrow. "I made a joke?"  
  
"Yes, now leave me alone."  
  
He remained where he was, perched on the side of the bed with a smile playing across his lips. "What kind of joke?"  
  
Glory rolled her eyes. "A dirty joke."  
  
His grin widened. "What joke?"  
  
Glory glared at him hard. "That one about the, um, the rabbit and the . . . barmaid."  
  
Lucius cocked his head to one side. "You know, I don't think I've heard that one. Remind me?"  
  
"I hate you," Glory said, pushing him off the bed.  
  
Lucius grinned again from the floor. "You do not. You liked my joke."  
  
"That was dream-Lucius, not real-Lucius." She threw the covers over her head and buried her face in her pillow. "Dream-Lucius is much nicer too, I think I'll go back to him."  
  
Lucius just smiled and stood up, then went around to his side of the bed and crawled under the blankets. Glory glared at him for a moment, then closed her eyes.  
  
"I thought you wanted to sleep in front of the fire," she said.  
  
"It's a little more comfortable in the bed," he replied, lying on his back and staring at the ceiling.  
  
"Speak for yourself," Glory muttered.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Lucius asked. "The bed is perfectly comfortable and-" he paused and glanced over to see Glory staring at him like he was a complete bonehead. "What?"  
  
She just shook her head. "Never mind."  
  
"No, I want to know. Do I make you uncomfortable?"  
  
Glory frowned. "A little bit."  
  
"Why? Is it because of . . . everything?"  
  
"No, Lucius, don't worry about it. It's my problem."  
  
"It's not just your problem," he said. "You're my responsibility. I have to keep you safe and that means you have to talk to me."  
  
Glory sat up again. "I have to talk to you, but you don't have to talk to me? I don't really think that's a fair deal."  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked.  
  
"You're hiding something from me," she said. "You always have a reason to be with me, you look at me as though I'm your dead wife and you never raise your voice to me. Never."  
  
"And that's a bad thing?"  
  
"I know you, Lucius," Glory said. "Like it or not I know you really well. You can't spend a year of your life being raped by a man and not get to know him a little bit."   
  
Lucius winced and Glory sighed.  
  
"I'm sorry. I don't meant it to hurt you, but you have to see where I'm coming from. I know you and I know that you're hiding something from me." Glory sighed and shifted uncomfortably. "Talk to me, please."  
  
"I can't," he said tightly.  
  
Glory shut her eyes and leaned against the ornate headboard behind her. "Not even if I say please?"  
  
"It won't do any good for me to say anything," Lucius said. "If anything, it will make things worse."  
  
"Worse?" Glory asked in bewilderment. "How could things possibly be any worse? Lord Voldemort is after me, I think that's about as bad as things get."  
  
"I mean here. It will make things worse here."  
  
"Here? At Hogwarts?" Glory sighed. "Let's see. I'm at Hogwarts for protection, teaching a class even though I'm not qualified to be teaching anything, fearing for my life, living with a man who won't talk to me and having to deal with his constant fighting with another man who's looking out for me. Both of whom used to be Death Eaters and could easily be lying to me and could turn me over to Voldemort in a second! I'm not sure who to trust, who to turn you and who to listen you. The only man I trust with my life is the only one who won't talk to me! Things look pretty bad from where I'm sitting, I some how doubt you could make them any worse." Glory drew in a deep breath from her outburst and tried to start again.  
  
"Fine," Lucius said sharply, interrupting her. "So, I can't make things any worse. You're sure of that?"  
  
She nodded, her eyes narrowed. "Pretty damn sure, Lucius."  
  
"Then if I were to kiss you right now it wouldn't bother you?"  
  
"No, I'd be fine with -- what?"  
  
Instead of answering, Lucius moved toward her and pressed his lips against hers. Glory flinched as if she'd been slapped, but didn't pull away when his fingers gently brushed over her cheek. They travelled over the old scar tissue and tangled in her hair, pulling the strands through his fingers and over his hand. She relaxed slowly as his gentle touch and let his hand move through her hair to the back of her neck.   
  
His hand spread over the nape of her neck, pressing her closer to him and she finally responded to his mouth. Slowly, tentatively her lips softened, allowing him to kiss her again. His mouth was warm and his lips were quivering uncertainly even as he pressed on. He was just as scared as she was, his fingertips trembled against her neck and Glory put a steadying hand on his arm.  
  
Lucius broke the kiss and stared at her. "I'm sorry."  
  
"That wasn't to make you stop," she murmured.  
  
"It . . . oh."  
  
"Don't be so scared," she said.  
  
"You cringed when I kissed you," he said softly.  
  
"You startled me," she said, then put her hand over his. "Stop thinking, Lucius."  
  
He studied her for a long moment, then did what she suggested and he stopped thinking. He was drawn toward her again, the kiss gentle and new altogether. He had never kissed her like that, never with such innocence. He never thought that at thirty seven he would find a mere kiss to be so intimate and perfect.   
  
Glory's hands were on his arms, gripping them tightly as he kissed her, his own hands once more tangled in her hair. It was like being a teenager again, experiencing everything for the first time with his first love. The feeling of her hands on his biceps sent a shiver down his spine and goose bumps broke out on his arms. She moved willingly when he leaned over her, pressing her back down against the pillows in their bed. Their kiss was still innocent, lips and tongues moving uncertainly across their mouths, but his trembling hands sought more than the feeling of her soft hair.   
  
His fingers travelled down her arm and across her hip, dancing down her leg as Glory explored the length of his back with her hands. His legs were entwined her hers and the kiss became more needy, more passionate as their bodies pressed together.  
  
Lucius broke away once again. "We've been here before," he said, staring down at her.  
  
Glory smiled gently at him, reaching for his hand. "Not like this."  
  
"I hurt you," he murmured, trying to move away.  
  
Glory grabbed his chin and forced him to look at her. "So make it up to me."  
  
Lucius studied her for a long moment, then smiled back and leaned down once more to claim her mouth with his own.  
  
  
* * * * 


	11. Chapter Eleven

* * * *  
  
Miles away, as Lucius and Glory found lay tangled together, Voldemort paced a darkened Muggle house, wondering exactly where his most faithful follower and the woman he needed could be. He was angry with himself, with his followers for being unable to trace the woman to where she was. It never occurred to him, even once that Lucius and Glory would be together and that his former follower would be determined to protect her with his life. All Voldemort knew was that for nine months he had been able to follow the essence of her energy and now there was nothing. It was as if she had been wiped off the earth, but he knew that couldn't be true.   
  
There was only one place that she could be hiding, only one place that could block her energy from reaching it's originator and Voldemort hated her even more, knowing that she was there. Hogwarts. The one place he would never dare to set foot, especially with Dumbledore still acting as Headmaster. He hated that Glory was being hidden from him at Hogwarts, especially when it was so obvious that she belonged to him. His followers had created the monster inside her, they had fed her power with their own and she belonged to them.  
  
Lucius Malfoy's disappearance was almost as disheartening as Glory's. Voldemort needed his more powerful followers during this time, but after the death of his wife Lucius hadn't been seen. He had few Death Eaters left in his ranks, especially after he had taken it upon himself to kill more than half of them. They had betrayed him and for that betrayal they had paid the ultimate price.  
  
"My Lord," a soft voice interrupted his thoughts and Voldemort turned to see a tiny woman with dark hair staring at him. "May I make a suggestion?"  
  
He studied her for a long time, then nodded. "Of course, Daphne."  
  
"Call Lucius back into our fold. Call him using the Dark Mark. As distraught as he is, he is certain to come," she said, smiling softly. "And let me go to Hogwarts. Glory trusts me."  
  
Voldemort smiled back. "I will call Lucius, you're right about that. He needs to join us again. But I am worried about sending you to Hogwarts. Glory was an Auror, she knows who to trust and who is lying to her."  
  
Daphne's grin grew wider. "Have you forgotten, my Lord? I lied to her for years, working by her side as an Auror during the day, only to turn to you at night. She never knew."  
  
Voldemort shook his head. "I will call Lucius, but I am not sending you. Not yet. I will not risk your well being for her, we will find her Daphne, but now is not that time."  
  
"Can it really wait, my Lord?"  
  
Voldemort nodded. "It can wait for as long as I choose. When I release her power it will roll over this world like The Great Flood, only there will be no ark built to save the wretched Mudbloods." He paused, drawing in a deep, shuddering breath. "Her strength is unpredictable and I will unleash that upon the world, drowning them in her fire and water." A smile touched his thin lips. "It will kill them all. Only the worthy will survive."   
  
His scarlet eyes turned skyward, trying to peer through the plaster and wood that made up the old house. He would bring Lucius back, he would call him home and the Death Eaters would be whole again. With Lucius by his side, Voldemort would bring Glory down within days.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Lucius sat upright in bed, his left forearm burning angrily and throbbing in the dark room. For a moment he was unsure of where he was and he flailed blindly with his good arm, reaching out for something that was familiar and grounding. There was nothing in front of him, nothing to hold onto as the burning in his arm increased, reaching a painful intensity. Then her hand was on his, pulling him down from his violent frenzy. Her fingers were cold, but it was the shock he needed to calm him completely.  
  
"Lucius?" she asked in the darkness. "What's wrong?"  
  
"My arm," he said hoarsely. "It hasn't burned in so long."  
  
Glory fumbled for her wand in the dark, then lit the candles with a wave. Lucius' heart thudded painfully as he saw her, her hair tousled from sleep and her hands clutching the thick comforter to her small frame. His mouth dried out and the pain in his arm was forgotten as he studied her.  
  
"What?" she asked, reaching for his arm. "Are you being called?"  
  
Lucius blinked, then nodded and looked down. The black skull and serpent stood out sharply from his pale skin, the edges turned an angry red from the burning.  
  
"It looks painful," Glory said.  
  
"It is."  
  
"What are you going to do?" she asked.  
  
Lucius glanced at her. "What am I supposed to do? I'm not going back to him." He saw the worry in her eyes and sighed deeply. "Go back to sleep, Glory. I'm ignoring it, that's all there is to it. I'm not going back, I don't care how many times he tries to call me or how badly my arm hurts. I won't go back. Not after what he did to Narcissa . . . not knowing what he plans on doing to you."  
  
"I wasn't suggesting you go back," she said softly. "Is there any way to stop the pain?"  
  
Lucius shook his head. "No, nothing. I'll just have to deal with it."  
  
"Try to get some sleep," she said. "That might help."  
  
Lucius nodded and sunk down into the bed with her one more, his fingers trailing down her arm. The feeling of her skin under his fingers, that was all he needed to make him forget. He settled down beside her and listened as she fell asleep, her breathing dropping off into a steady rhythm. He knew he wouldn't be able to fall asleep again, not with the pain in his arm, so instead Lucius remained awake, running his hands softly over Glory's arm and her hair. She calmed him, something about her calmed his galloping heart and his racing mind and soon, he was near sleep as well.  
  
As he drifted into dreams the burning flared up slightly, but Glory moved closer to him, pressing her back against his chest and Lucius found himself forgetting the pain.   
  
  
* * * * 


	12. Chapter Twelve

* * * *  
  
With a heavy sigh, Remus Lupin approached the Great Hall the next morning, dreading the eventual meeting between himself and Lucius Malfoy. He was pretty sure the former Death Eater already hated him, but Lupin had to admit to himself that the feeling was almost mutual. Even if he had accepted that Glory was now beyond his reach, he couldn't help but blame Lucius for it. If he hadn't become her guardian she never would have fallen for him.   
  
He frowned as he caught sight of Snape sitting at the head table and his mood darkened even more. If it hadn't been for Snape's abduction she wouldn't even need a guardian and maybe, just maybe, things could have been different. He sighed again, but made his way up to the head table and took the extra chair Dumbledore had arranged for him. Between his chair and Snape's was two empty places, presumably for Glory and Lucius once they arrived for breakfast.  
  
Lupin kept his head down when they entered the room, not wanting to see them together. When he chanced a glance in their direction they looked like anyone else in the entire room, both content, but not staring at each other in the sickening way Lupin had expected. Maybe he had been completely wrong about her feelings for Lucius, maybe he had been imagining obstacles for himself.  
  
He smiled at Glory as she made her way over to her chair and she smiled back, touching his arm gently.  
  
"Are you alright now?" she asked.  
  
Lupin nodded. "Yes, thank you."  
  
"Good," she said, still smiling.  
  
Lupin felt the grin blossom across his face until he saw Lucius's fingers pressed against the small of Glory's back, guiding her to her chair. It was a tiny gesture really, but it brought everything into perspective. Lupin was kidding himself and he knew it, he had to accept it. She had changed in the past years and so had he and now she was in love with someone else.  
  
Breakfast went by agonizingly slow, Lucius and Glory talking softly to each other. Her occasional attempt to bring Lupin into the conversation went unnoticed and he preferred it that way. He would rather remain an outsider to what they had than to be brought in as a third wheel with no place. He kept silent during the meal, sliding his chair back when Dumbledore finally dismissed the students.  
  
Snape caught up to him in the hall and smirked at him.   
  
"I thought you were not here for yourself, Lupin," he said.  
  
"I'm not."  
  
"Don't try to hide it," Snape said. "I saw the look on your face when she spoke to you." Another smirk passed over his lips. "You want to be with her."  
  
Lupin pressed his mouth into a thin line. "Despite what I may want, being with her is not a possibility, Severus." His eyes locked onto Snape's. "Perhaps that is something you must learn as well."  
  
Snape glared at him. "Surely you're not suggesting that I have some sort of interest in her?"  
  
Lupin shrugged. "It doesn't matter what I suggest. Just stay away from her. Lucius will keep her safe, she doesn't need you." With that said, he walked quickly away, leaving the Potions Master alone.  
  
"I will keep her safe," he growled softly to the empty hall. "I don't trust Lucius and I will keep her safe."  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Daphne Heyman stood in the doorway of the Muggle house and watched the long road for any sign of Lucius. It had been more than twenty four hours since Voldemort had called him and there was still no sign of him. The Death Eater could Apparate, she knew that he could and yet he hadn't appeared on the winding road that led to the tiny house.  
  
"He's not coming!" she said vehemently, for what felt like the hundredth time. One of the other Death Eaters glanced at her, but said nothing, fearful of her wrath. She was a powerful witch and she knew everything there was to know about the Dark Arts and how to defend herself. It would be no easy task killing her if she decided to attack.  
  
"He couldn't be trusted," she growled. "I knew it all along. We never should have trusted him."  
  
"Come off it, Daphne," another woman said, standing and going to her. "We all know you did more than just trust him."  
  
Daphne glowered at the other woman. "Did I ask you to speak Tina?"  
  
"You forget sometimes," Tina murmured, "you don't scare me. I'm stronger than you, I'm faster than you and the Dark Lord likes me better than you." She smirked, tossing her long hair over her shoulder. "You're just worried that Lucius found someone else. Open your eyes, love. He was married and he had you on the side, but he was fucking anything else that walked."  
  
"Don't you ever say that," Daphne hissed fiercely, whipping her wand out of her robes. "He loved me, Tina. He still loves me."  
  
A sad grin crossed the face of the other Death Eater and she shook her head. "You never understood, did you, Daphne? He didn't love you. I don't think he even loved very much of Narcissa. He loved her."  
  
"Her?" Daphne asked. "Who?"  
  
"The girl in the dungeons. The girl Severus found at the Three Broomsticks," Tina said. "The one Voldemort is looking for now."  
  
"Don't be stupid," Daphne hissed. "She was nothing more than a whore. He could never love a worthless thing like her. I knew her, Tina, I pretended to be her best friend. He could never love her."  
  
"You're so blind," the other woman said. "I wouldn't have believed it, but you really are. He completely blinded you, but I couldn't be surprised. He completely blinded himself as well." Tina shook her head. "He didn't know anything more of his love than you do. He pretended that he hated her, he probably even convinced himself that he did. I know the poor girl thought he did."  
  
"He loves me," Daphne insisted.  
  
Tina smiled grimly. "No, you're wrong. He loves Glory and that's why he's not coming back. I'll bet my life on the fact that he's at Hogwarts with her."  
  
Daphne ignored the other woman and went back to the door, her eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of the man they were all waiting for. She would give anything to see the top of his blonde head coming over the hill in the distance. All she wanted was to look into his eyes and see the love that she had convinced herself was there, it was the only thing in the world that she lived for.   
  
Her eyes narrowed as she thought about what Tina had said to her. Lucius couldn't love Glory, there was just no way. If anything, Glory had seduced him with her long hair and her beautiful eyes. Daphne hated her more than she ever had, thinking about what the woman could do with her looks. She had always been gorgeous, despite the scar that marred half of her face and she had always been able to have any man she wanted.  
  
"Why Lucius?" Daphne murmured to the fading sun. "Out of all the men in the world, why him?"  
  
Tina chuckled dryly from inside the house. "It's called love. They didn't get a choice."  
  
  
* * * * 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Notes: Don't worry Barb ... Draco will play in shortly. After all, the first Quidditch match is only a few days away. :D  
  
* * * *   
  
  
Weeks melted away at Hogwarts and as the sky turned grey and the wind began to whip around the castle, Glory began to hear the first murmurs of Quidditch in the halls. It started with the Gryffindors, whispering madly about the newest members of their house team and soon enough even the Hufflepuffs were talking big and strutting in the halls. The first match would be between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and Harry asked Glory again if she'd be willing to referee.  
  
She smiled and glanced at the black haired boy. "You know, I think I will," she said.  
  
Harry broke out into a grin. "Great, thanks Professor. You'll be a great ref, I know it." With another smile in her direction, he had walked quickly from the room, his head high and shoulders thrown back.   
Glory shook her head and smiled again as she watched him go. He had all the confidence in the world and with good reason. Not only was the boy talented on the Quidditch field, but he was handsome and intelligent.  
  
As the classroom emptied, Glory noticed one person hadn't moved the entire time, one person had stayed in their chair. She cocked her head and glanced at the person, who was slightly hidden behind the pillar near one wall of the class.  
  
"Remus?" she asked.  
  
He glanced at her, startled. "Glory, I - oh, class is over. I'm sorry." He moved to get up, but Glory held up both hands.  
  
"No, stay if you want."  
  
Lupin smiled gently and settled back into the chair. "I just wanted to sit here for a while." His brow creased as a pained look crossed over his face. "I miss it."  
  
"The classroom?" Glory asked, coming down from her desk and walking over to the corner.  
  
Lupin nodded and laughed bitterly. "Sad, isn't it?"  
  
"Not at all."  
  
"Some of my best years were spent in this room. First, as a student and later, as a professor." He gazed around the room with sad eyes. "It was a good year, despite my many obstacles."  
  
"Severus?" Glory asked.  
  
Lupin nodded. "He didn't think it was wise to hire a werewolf as a teacher. He thought I might harm the students, or something equally as silly."  
  
Glory smiled softly and fell into the chair beside Lupin. "Severus doesn't always know what's right. You and I both know that."  
  
Lupin smiled back. "He doesn't trust Lucius. Is that what you're referring to?"  
  
"It's exactly what I'm referring to."  
  
"Well, you're right. Severus doesn't always know what's right, or what's best." Lupin shrugged. "You have to learn to take his distrust in stride. It's all part of the man behind the grease."  
  
Glory had to stifle the laugh that rose in her throat. "I don't think he's . . . that greasy," she managed to say.  
  
Lupin broke into a wide grin. "Of course you don't. You're his colleague. I, on the other hand, am allowed to say anything I please about him."  
  
"Remus, don't," Glory said, still smirking. "I won't be able to look at him without laughing over dinner."  
  
"I have stories from school that would have you rolling in the aisle," he promised.  
  
"Remus, I'm serious. Don't say anything."  
  
Lupin grinned. "You're serious? You could have fooled me with that big smile on your face."  
  
"Could have fooled me as well," a calm, cold voice said from the doorway.  
  
Glory nearly fell out of the chair when she whirled around to see Snape standing against the wall. His eyes looked darker than usual, clouding over emotions he obviously didn't want the other two to see.  
  
"Severus," Glory said mildly, smoothing her robes as her near disaster with the chair. "Remus and I were just-"  
  
"Reminiscing?" he asked, cutting her off. "Indulging in the childish act of gossip?"  
  
"Talking," she said.  
  
"Ah." Snape nodded. "Of course. I should have known. You were just . . . talking." The final word was dripping with both sarcasm and disdain, and Glory frowned.  
  
"Honestly, Severus, what is your problem?" she asked suddenly.  
  
He blinked. "What?"  
  
"You don't trust anyone, do you? Out of all the people here that are trying to do some kind of good, you don't trust a single one of them."  
  
His eyes hardened again. "I trust myself."  
  
Glory stood. "Well, maybe I don't trust you. Did you ever stop to think about that?"  
  
He snorted. "Yet you would trust Lucius and the werewolf?"  
  
"He has a name!" Glory said furiously. "He has a goddamned name!"  
  
Snape's eyes narrowed. "I know his name well."  
  
"Then use it," Glory said, her voice low with anger. "Don't you ever call him 'the werewolf' in front of me again."  
  
"Or what?" Snape asked, taking up the silent challenge she had offered him.  
  
"Glory," Lupin started, but she waved her hand at him and he found himself unable to speak.  
  
"You don't want me as your enemy, Severus," she said.  
  
"Are you threatening me?" he asked.  
  
"Perhaps."  
  
"I would advise against it."  
  
Glory cocked an eyebrow. "Then I would advise against addressing Remus is a disrespectful manner." Her hand was still in the air, unwavering as she brought it around to Snape's direction. He nearly flinched, then stared defiantly at her.  
  
"You don't even know what you can do," he said.  
  
"Oh, and you do?" she asked, cocking her head. "You know exactly what's living inside of me, don't you, Severus? After all, you helped create it."  
  
Snape did flinch that time, there was no mistaking it as he slightly backed away.  
  
Glory's eyes narrowed. "That's right, just back off. You're not but a coward anyway." Her mouth quivered angrily, but her hand remained steady. "Isn't it fun to kill people?" she spat. "Isn't it fun to abuse little girls? Isn't it fun to force yourself on a woman?" She took a step toward Snape, her fingers twitching with the pent up energy. "Isn't it? Tell me . . . wasn't it fun? Didn't you enjoy it? Pretending that last night like you loved me. Making me believe that you were different." She gasped for a breath in the silent room, then stepped closer. "You didn't know about that, did you? You helped me escape and I knew after that, that I would never see you again. But in the weeks leading up . . . I thought about you all the time. Just because you felt guilty and wanted to make it up to me by being gentle." The anger that had abated slightly was back. "Well being gentle after months of torment doesn't make it better."  
  
Snape risked a dangerous comment. "It seems to have worked for Lucius."  
  
The energy hit him so hard that he had no time to prepare himself for the blow. He was thrown across the room and he slammed into a cabinet against the wall, glass shattering around him as he fell. The room flickered out of his vision for a moment and Snape immediately thought she had injured him so badly that he was going blind.   
  
A moment later he could see again and slowly, he stood. His limbs were shaking and his head pounded, but he was coherent enough that he could see Glory standing against the wall and shivering. Lupin, who apparently could speak again now that Glory was weak, was standing beside her and trying to console her.  
  
"I'm sorry," the breathy apology escaped her lips when she saw Snape standing. "I can't control it. I know I can't control it. I shouldn't let people get me angry, but sometimes I can't help it. I'm sorry."  
  
Snape shook his head slightly. "I shouldn't have said anything. I wanted to see how far I could push you."  
  
Her lips trembled and Lupin tried to calm her again.  
  
"You're lucky you were a Death Eater," she said softly. "I don't know yet what a burst of energy like that can do someone who's not pureblood."  
  
"Let's get you back to your room," Lupin said, trying to lead Glory from the classroom.  
  
She nodded and followed him, still hanging onto his arm for support. They disappeared from the room and Snape listened for their footsteps walking down the hall. He knew he shouldn't have provoked Glory like he did, but he wanted to know more about her power. He wanted to see it again. Lucius would have his head for the stunt he pulled, but he knew it had been worth it. The last comment about Lucius had been a wild guess, but apparently something had happened between the two of them or she wouldn't have reacted so violently.  
  
Snape frowned, still listening for their footsteps. So Lucius was in her head, her heart and her bed. Snape would definitely have to do something about that.  
  
  
* * * * 


	14. Chapter Fourteen

* * * *  
  
Six days later, Glory found herself dressed in the striped robes of the Quidditch referee and standing on the field, a whistle in her mouth. The box containing the Quaffle, the Bludgers and the Snitch was at her feet, ready to be kicked open. Both teams were in the air already and Glory watched them carefully. When Harry and the captain of the Slytherin team had shaken hands they had squeezed a little too tightly for her comfort. She had no doubt the match would turn dirty once they were all in the air.  
  
Glory caught sight of Lupin and Lucius, both nodding to her, both urging her on. She had voiced concerns about the game only the day before, but both of them had talked her out of them, saying she was being ridiculous.  
  
Glory quickly brought the whistle to her mouth and blew hard, signalling the start of the game. She released the balls from the box, then kicked up off the ground and soared into the air to join the action. A bludger whizzed past her in pursuit of a Gryffindor chaser, narrowly missing striking Glory's head. She frowned, then turned to see a Slytherin beater smiling at her. Obviously he had aimed the Bludger in her direction, but Glory brushed it off and turned her attention back to the game.  
  
Gryffindor was already ahead by twenty points and the Slytherin team didn't seem to be taking it very well. Glory could see Harry zooming around the field, trying to keep ahead of a Slytherin player who seemed determined to knock him off his broom. The Gryffindor keeper, a girl named Alyssa Richardson, was busy dodging the bludgers that kept coming in her direction while trying to protect the hoops on her end of the field at the same time.  
  
Glory frowned, then turned her gaze toward the Gryffindor chasers, who were being pursued fiercely by the Slytherin team. Her eyes locked on to them just in time to see Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin seeker, grab the end of one of the brooms.  
  
Her whistle blasted and she called, "Penalty to Gryffindor."  
  
Two minutes later, another ten points had been added to Gryffindor's score. Draco Malfoy was staring at her contemptuously, his pale eyes narrowed in a gaze that reminded Glory of his father. She shivered under his icy stare, but pushed her broom through the rushing wind to continue watching the game.   
  
It moved on quickly, Slytherin quickly scored twenty points before Gryffindor scored another ten. It was easy to see why the two teams hated each other, they played dirty and Glory only caught half of the underhanded stunts she was sure both teams were pulling. Her whistle shrilled time and again, awarding penalties to both sides and the game went on for close to an hour, neither seeker was able to catch the Snitch in that time.  
  
Glory flew higher, watching Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy closely. They seemed to hate each other more than anyone on the team and she didn't trust them to play nice if they were out of her view. The black hair and blonde hair contrasted so sharply that she didn't need to look hard to find them. They were above her, side by side, bearing down on the Snitch that was apparently nearby.  
  
Glory moved downward slightly to get out of their way and she saw Draco's broom shift, changing his path. Harry remained on the path he had chosen, zooming straight toward the Snitch that was now fluttering about three feet away from Glory's head. Harry's hand reached out, quivering slightly as it came closer and closer to the Golden Snitch.   
  
Glory dropped downward, moving even further out of Draco's way, but he shifted his broom once more. Her brow creased in confusion and she stared at him, trying to read the flashing look in his eyes. She understood his intention a moment too late, but still vainly tried to move out of the way.   
  
Draco crashed into her with an intense speed, his own broom splintering with the impact. Glory felt her broom crack beneath her and she gasped, then desperately tried to grab something to hold onto. Draco's body slammed into hers, cracking her ribs with the force and shattering his broom completely. He cried out slightly, but still pushed his arms forward, throwing Glory off her broom.  
  
She grabbed again, trying to find anything that would keep her in the air. If she couldn't find anything to hold onto she would plummet to the ground below, probably killing herself. Her hand clamped onto something soft, but she felt it rip in her grasp and she began to fall, a piece of Draco's robe still fluttering in her hand. She could see the Slytherin seeker above her, falling to the ground as she did, waving his arms desperately in the air.  
  
The wind rushed past her, throwing her robes into a swirl around her and screaming fiercely in her ears. Glory had no idea how far she would fall, but she knew the impact would break what bones hadn't been broken in the crash, possibly killing her instantly. Her eyes closed against the grey sky and an unbidden thought ran through her mind.  
  
*At least Voldemort won't be able to use me.*  
  
She smiled slightly, knowing then that everything would be okay if she died. Lucius would mourn, but he would move on . . . he always did. Remus would miss her, but he would get over it, he had in the past. Life would go on and she would no longer be an unwilling threat to the world.  
  
Glory braced herself, tightening her muscles the way she knew she shouldn't. It would hurt more if she tightened her body, but the movement came anyway. She waited for her body to shatter against the ground and for her heart to stop. But slowly, the wind around her lessened, no longer howling in her ears. She tensed more, then cried out slightly when her body came to a soft rest on the ground. Her hands pressed into the damp grass and her head was gently lowered to the field.   
  
Draco was lowered to the ground beside her, just as gently, though he was on his feet in an instant. His eyes narrowed in the direction of the stands as Lucius and Lupin walked toward them with Dumbledore not far behind.  
  
"Are you okay?" Lucius asked, bending slightly.  
  
Glory grimaced. "I'm pretty sure my ribs are broken, but I'm alive."  
  
"You can thank Lupin for that charm," Lucius said. "He thought quickly. Quicker than I did."  
  
Glory smiled gently in Lupin's direction as he bent to check on her ribs. While he busied himself trying to bind them so they could move her without much pain, Lucius stood and looked at his son. His eyes were narrowed and his gaze looked deadly.  
  
"What the hell was that?"  
  
Draco stared at him defiantly. "I hit her. It's nothing."  
  
Lucius advanced on him. "It's not nothing. You hit her on purpose. You could have both been killed."  
  
"Maybe that's what I wanted," Draco growled. The crowd around them gasped and began to murmur as he rolled his eyes. "Oh come on. Wouldn't we all be better off if she was dead?"  
  
Dumbledore glanced at him warningly and shook his head. "The world would not be better off if Professor Beckwith died." His gaze softened. "You're only sixteen, Draco, what reason could you possibly have to want to die?"  
  
"I'd rather die than see her with my father," he spat viciously.  
  
Lucius's eyes widened.  
  
"What?" Draco asked. "You thought I didn't know? I'm not stupid and I'm not a child anymore." His lower lip quivered slightly. "Mum hasn't even been buried for a year and you've already moved on. It's disgusting."  
  
"You don't know what you're saying," Lucius began, moving toward his son.  
  
"Yes I do!" Draco shouted. "You think I give a damn about this stupid Quidditch match or my classes? I don't care! All I know is that my family has been ripped apart because of two people. Mum's dead because of Voldemort and now I'm losing you to her," he said, glaring at Glory. "I can't do much about the Dark Lord, but I can get rid of her."  
  
"You can't get rid of anyone," Dumbledore said softly. "Whatever happens between your father and Professor Beckwith doesn't mean you'll lose him."  
  
Draco stared at them, hatred burning in his eyes. "You don't understand, do you? Not a single person here understands."  
  
"No, boy," Lupin said sharply. "It's you who doesn't understand."  
  
Glory frowned as he stood up, his hands shaking angrily.  
  
"You're too young, you don't know anything about love," he said. "People fall in love and there's nothing you can do about it but be happy for them. Your mother is dead, I get that. I know it must be hard on you, but you cannot take your frustrations out on other people." He glared at Draco for a moment longer, then turned to help Glory up.   
  
Draco watched them go, waiting as the crowd dispersed, knowing they were murmuring about him as they walked away. Soon enough, only he and Lucius remained on the Quidditch field, each lost in their own thoughts about what he had just happened.  
  
"You could have killed yourself," Lucius's voice broke through the silence. "You could have killed her."  
  
"I know," Draco murmured.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I hate her," he said, only half as convincingly as he had said it moments ago.  
  
"No you don't," Lucius murmured.  
  
"Then I hate you."  
  
"You're a terrible liar."  
  
Draco looked up to catch his father's gaze, hating that he was so near tears in front of him. His father had always taught him to be strong, don't cry, don't show emotions . . . it was the way of the Death Eaters. He swiped angrily at his face as a tear spilled from his eye and trickled down his cheek.  
  
"Draco," his father said softly, taking a step forward. "What is it?"  
  
"I miss mum," he whispered. "And I miss you."  
  
"I'm here," Lucius said. "I can't bring your mother back, but I've always been here."  
  
Draco shook his head. "No, you haven't. You've been far too preoccupied with redeeming yourself and with Professor Beckwith."  
  
"I love her," he offered simply.  
  
Draco's eyes widened. "What?"  
  
"I love Glory," Lucius repeated.  
  
"No."  
  
"I'm sorry, Draco, but it's true."  
  
"No, Gods . . . I knew this would happen. This is why I tried to get rid of her."  
  
Lucius sighed. "It doesn't mean you're any less my son."  
  
"Maybe not," Draco said, "but it means I get lost in the shuffle of a new romance. I might still be your son, but I'll always be in the way."  
  
Lucius's eyes fixed on Draco's. "You will not be in the way."  
  
Draco held his father's gaze steadily. "Do you promise?"  
  
"I promise."  
  
"If you break that promise, I'll leave Hogwarts," Draco threatened. "I'll go far away where you can never find me."  
  
Lucius nodded. "Fair enough."  
  
Draco lowered his eyes slowly. "I guess I should go see Professor Dumbledore regarding my punishment."  
  
Lucius nodded, then squeezed his son's shoulder. "That's probably a good idea."  
  
They walked toward the school in silence, Draco contemplating what he could possibly say to his father or to Glory to make things better. He had tried to kill her, a simple apology probably wasn't the best road to take.  
  
"Tell her I'm sorry," he said anyway, ignoring his thoughts. "I still don't like her, but I'm sorry."  
  
Lucius glanced down at his son and nodded. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have pushed you so hard to become like me."  
  
Draco shrugged. "It was all I knew . . . it was all anyone knew."  
  
"Still, I am sorry."  
  
Draco let himself break into a half smile. "It's okay, dad. I'm okay."  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
"I felt her." The words washed over the dark room, bringing smiles to the faces of the remaining Death Eaters.  
  
Voldemort opened his red eyes and smiled. "I felt her in the air. She is definitely at Hogwarts." He gazed across the room and his eyes fell on Daphne, standing at attention and ready to serve.  
  
"You will go now," he said. "You will bring her back to me."  
  
Daphne lowered her head. "Of course, my Lord."  
  
"What about Lucius Malfoy, my Lord?" Tina asked loudly.  
  
Voldemort's gaze snapped to her and he smiled again. "He's there with her," he said in a low voice. "Daphne will bring him back, under the Imperius curse if she has to. His betrayal will not go unnoticed. I will kill him just like I killed his wife."  
  
  
* * * * 


	15. Chapter Fifteen

* * * *  
  
  
Madam Pomfrey bent over Glory's bed a final time and administered the potion that would mend her ribs over night. It wasn't the first time she'd seen a referee injured in a Quidditch match and it wouldn't be the last, though she was sure there was something about the injuries that the others weren't telling her. She cast another side long glance at Lupin and Lucius, who were standing nearby, waiting to be told they could see the injured professor.   
  
"Ten minutes," Madam Pomfrey said, glaring hard at the two men. "She needs her rest tonight."  
  
Lupin nodded briskly, then went to the bed and leaned over Glory. She smiled weakly at him, her eyes fluttering closed a second later. She opened them again and struggled to keep them open, the effects of sleeping potion beginning to take over.  
  
"Thank you," she whispered.  
  
Lupin shrugged deeply. "It's nothing. I had to do something."  
  
"Thank you," she whispered again, more fiercely this time.  
  
He nodded, slightly embarrassed. "You're welcome." He smiled again, then backed away to let Lucius near the bed.  
  
"You're really all right?" he asked, his hand immediately seeking hers.  
  
Glory nodded slowly. "I'm fine."  
  
"Draco . . ." Lucius trailed off, his eyes hardening slightly. "Draco apologizes."  
  
Glory's eyes narrowed. "And am I supposed to believe him?"  
  
"He's just a child," Lucius said. "He didn't know what else to do."  
  
Glory looked away from him, her eyes studying her fingers carefully. "He had a lot of hatred in him," she said finally. "I could see it in his eyes right before he crashed into me."  
  
"He'll be punished for his actions," Lucius said. "He knows it and he's sorry for what he did. We talked."  
  
Glory sighed. "I'm sorry, Lucius, I really am, but I can't believe that. I don't believe that the two of you can have a quick talk and make everything all right again. Things aren't that simple."  
  
Lucius frowned. "What are you saying?"  
  
"I'm saying that maybe Draco isn't as innocent as everyone seems to think." She sighed miserably. "I know that's not something you want to hear, but didn't it ever occur to you that maybe Draco went beyond you? Maybe he's already a Death Eater and you just don't know about it."  
  
Lucius shook his head. "No way. Voldemort would have used him already. He's so close to you, he could kill you . . ." he trailed off, then added, "so easily."  
  
Glory's eyes softened and she sighed again. "Do you see what I'm saying now? There was more than just a lost boy's confusion behind that attack, Lucius. He wanted me dead, but not for himself."  
  
"I'll check on it," Lucius said.   
  
"How?"  
  
"If he's a Death Eater he'll have the Dark Mark on his arm," he said. "I'll find out if he has it."  
  
"He's not just going to show you, Lucius."  
  
He nodded. "I know, but I'll find out." Without another word Lucius leaned down and pressed his lips to Glory's. "Don't worry about it. Get some sleep and get better."  
  
She nodded uncertainly, then turned away and closed her eyes.  
  
Lupin followed Lucius from the room and down the hall, wondering if he should say anything or just go back to the room Dumbledore had supplied him with.  
  
"Did you ever see anything?" Lucius asked suddenly. "When you were teaching my son, did you see any indication that he might be . . . a Death Eater?"  
  
Lupin shook his head. "Nothing. He was cruel, yes, but he wasn't evil."  
  
"What about today?" Lucius asked. "What did you see in him today?"  
  
Lupin struggled for words and found none, shrugging deeply. "I don't know what I saw today. It could have been a boy's desperate attempt for attention or it could have been something more."  
  
"I don't want him to follow my mistakes," Lucius said, then turned and disappeared down the hall.  
  
Lupin stared after him, wondering what Lucius would do once he found his son. If Draco really had tried to kill Glory for the Dark Lord there was no telling what means Lucius might go to, to prevent his son from ever returning to Voldemort.  
  
"What are you doing in the hall so late at night?" a smooth voice asked from behind and Lupin turned to see Snape coming out of the hospital wing.  
  
"I just left Glory," Lupin said.  
  
Snape nodded. "She'll be all right."  
  
"Of course she will."  
  
"No thanks to Lucius," Snape growled, staring down the hall that Lucius had taken. "He's going to get her killed."  
  
Lupin's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about, Severus? It wasn't Lucius's fault."  
  
"Of course it was," Snape snapped impatiently. "She's endangering her own life by associating with him."  
  
"He's here to protect her," Lupin said.  
  
"That's what he'd like us to think. I keep waiting for the day when he'll reveal his true colours and show everyone what he really is. A good for nothing Death Eater." Snape crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Lupin. "He'll never change."  
  
"Of course you think that," Lupin said. "You don't trust anyone . . . Glory was right."  
  
Snape's eyes narrowed and he glared hard at the other man. "Just wait, Lupin. Soon enough Lucius will show everyone who he really is and I'll be proven right. Just wait." With that he turned on his heel and strode back the way he had come, leaving Lupin alone once again.  
  
"What are you planning, Severus?" Lupin asked the empty hall. "Just what do you think you're going to do?"  
  
  
* * * * 


	16. Chapter Sixteen

* * * *  
  
  
"Things are going to come down to something big," Glory mumbled into Lucius's shoulder. He stirred slightly in the bed so he could look at her face, then pushed her blonde hair off her forehead. Her eyes were closed and her face still rested against his pale skin, her breath tickling him slightly.  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked, adjusting his position carefully, as to not aggravate her wounded ribs. Madam Pomfrey had done her best, but the bruises were still fresh and vividly purple.  
  
Glory's eyes stayed closed and she nuzzled against his skin. "I mean that no matter what I do, no matter what Severus does or what Draco does, it's going to end up the same."  
  
Lucius frowned, still puzzled by her half conscious comments. "I'm not following you."  
  
"Honestly, Lucius," she whispered against his skin. "Sometimes I think you don't listen at all."  
  
"I'm listening, love," he said, "I'm just not following."  
  
"Fate," she whispered, drifting further into sleep. "It all comes down to fate, Lucius. You can intervene as my protector but if I'm meant to destroy the world then it's going to happen. Severus can try to take over your job, he can pretend he's doing a better job of protecting me, but if it's meant to happen then none of that matters."  
  
"Don't say that," Lucius urged. "You don't know what's going to happen."  
  
Glory's eyes fluttered open and she blessed him with a sleepy smile. "Neither do you." Her eyes shut once more and she slumped into the pillow, breathing softly against Lucius's skin.  
  
He tried to fall asleep after hearing her speak of fate, he willed his body to relax but the tension in his neck spread down through his shoulders and his back. Lucius sighed, then adjusted Glory's position in the bed before sitting up. He gently eased himself from the bed, then reached for his clothing and began to dress. The idea of fate taunted him as he dressed and he wondered if he was following some greater plan even at that very second.  
  
Was it foretold somewhere that Lucius Malfoy would walk the castle after dark that night? Was Glory right when she said that she really had no choice in how her destiny played out? Would she become the tool of the Dark Lord . . . was there nothing he could do to protect her?  
  
Lucius closed the clasp on his robes, then left the room quietly, taking his wand with him as he went. There was no telling who could be in the halls at night.  
  
As he reached the upper towers, Lucius realized how much he hated prowling the school at night, but the thoughts of fate and losing Glory were weighing too heavily on his shoulders for him to sleep that night. He had once felt so safe at Hogwarts, so sure that no one would be able to touch Glory while she was inside the walls of the school but suddenly all that security was gone. Glory's words left him with nothing to hold onto, just a blinding look at reality and a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach. If his own son had something to do with it, Lucius didn't know what he'd do.   
  
Draco. The thought of his child passed through his mind quickly, unheeded in his worried state, but as he walked, he came over the name again. Draco Malfoy, seventh year Slytherin, currently lying asleep in his dormitory. He would be completely unsuspecting if Lucius were to sneak up there now and take a peek at his left forearm.   
  
His mind made up, Lucius turned quickly and went back the way he had come. He moved through the halls as quickly as he could without making too much noise as he went. It took him only moments to come upon the Slytherin common room, but he stopped short, realizing that he had no way of knowing the password.  
  
He stopped and stared at the sleeping portrait, angry with himself for acting so rashly. He should have known better, catching Draco wouldn't be that easy. If his son was a Death Eater at all he'd be aware of his surroundings, he wouldn't be caught by someone sneeking into his dormitory to peer at his arm.  
  
"Always wandering the school when you should be watching your lover," Snape said from nearby, grinning when Lucius jumped and turned around.  
  
"She's asleep," he said, then began to walk away.  
  
"Why aren't you?" Snape asked.  
  
Lucius paused and frowned. "What does it matter?"  
  
Snape smiled softly, his eyes darkening. "You're always up to no good, Lucius."  
  
"Glory talked to me about fate," he said softly.  
  
Snape frowned. "What?"  
  
Lucius glanced up. "Fate. You know what it is. She said that maybe all my efforts are futile. She said that maybe she's just meant to be this tool of destruction and nothing we do will be able to stop it." He stared at Snape. "Well, you wanted to know why I wasn't asleep, didn't you?"  
  
Snape nodded slowly, suddenly unsure if he actually wanted to know.  
  
"I'm not asleep because I can't relax with that thought on my mind," Lucius began, pacing the empty corridor. "What if she's right? What if my being here isn't worth a damn thing? I killed so many people, Severus, you know that. I can't possibly atone for all the things I've done as a Death Eater, but I've been given the chance to start. I've been given this chance to protect and rebuild a woman I helped destroy."  
  
Snape nodded again.  
  
Lucius glanced up and caught his eye. "You seem so guilt free. Would you care to share your secret?"  
  
Snape laughed harshly. "I have more guilt than you can possibly imagine, Lucius."  
  
"I doubt that."  
  
They fell silent, each lost in his own thoughts. Lucius's were following one track, his desperate need to protect Glory and redeem at least some of the soul he thought had been lost. Snape's were the opposite; jumbled and confused, and for the first time he began to wonder if he had been wrong about Lucius.  
  
"I need your help, Severus," Lucius said finally. "I know you keep telling everyone that you don't trust me, but I need you to." He shook his head. "Without your help, I think we're already lost."  
  
Snape looked up. "Why my help?"  
  
"Because we know Voldemort's tactics. Together we're stronger."  
  
Snape stared at Lucius for a very long time, then sighed deeply. "All right. I'll help you. But only because the world needs it and Glory needs it. Not for you."  
  
"I understand that," Lucius said.  
  
"I'll trust you," Snape said, "but if you ever do a single thing to make me doubt that trust I will have Albus throw you out."  
  
Lucius nodded again. "Then we have an agreement."  
  
Snape sighed once more, then nodded grudgingly. "It appears that we do."  
  
"Tomorrow then," Lucius said, "we'll begin working on a way to find out if my son is a Death Eater and what Voldemort's possible plans are."  
  
"Agreed."  
  
Lucius and Snape stared at each other for another long moment in the hall before Lucius backed away slowly.   
  
"Goodnight, Severus," he said, then turned and walked back toward his room.  
  
Snape watched him go, then narrowed his eyes and pressed his lips into a thin line. He didn't like trusting Lucius, but he knew the man was right. Together they would be stronger.  
  
"Goodnight, Lucius," he mumbled to the empty hall, then turned toward hi chambers.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Daphne Heyman stood outside Hogwarts and stared up at the rambling school. She had Apparated into Hogsmeade early in the morning and taken a room at the Leaky Cauldron, telling the Innkeeper she had a friend who was teaching at Hogwarts. He had looked suspicious for a long time until she had taken out her Auror's licence and shown it to him. His mood had lightened considerably after that, after all, the word Auror was almost synonymous with the word hero.  
  
"Fifteen minutes," she said softly, beginning the walk toward the school. "Fifteen minutes until I see my old friend, Glory."  
  
The walk was short and she would arrive at the front door quickly, but she had to be careful once she got there. She couldn't have Severus Snape or Lucius Malfoy seeing here before she got to Glory. Other than Draco Malfoy, they were the only two Death Eaters in the school and they had betrayed their Dark Lord. If they saw her they might not hesitate to kill her.  
  
Daphne's grip tightened on her wand as she walked up the stone steps outside of Hogwarts. A grin crossed over her face. Within hours she would be returning to Voldemort with Glory and Lucius and together they would rule the world.  
  
She pushed open the heavy wooden doors and stepped into the main hall.  
  
  
* * * * 


	17. Chapter Seventeen

* * * *  
  
  
Glory ushered the last of the students out of her classroom door, then fell into a nearby chair. The class had wanted to work more on unicorns, so Glory had taken them out to the Forbidden Forest where they had been able to catch glimpses of the unicorns through the trees. Most of the students knew to stay where they were on the outskirts of the trees, but Glory had to occasionally dart around the group, pulling a random Slytherin or Gryffindor back. They didn't respect the power in the Forbidden Forest and she knew that disrespect could get them killed.  
  
She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples unconsciously, fighting the tension headache that was already building behind her eyes. She had to give credit to the professors who worked day in and day out for years, she didn't know if she could do it.  
  
"Glory?"  
  
The voice from the doorway startled and Glory opened her eyes curiously, wondering what female could possibly be at her door, calling her by her first name. Her jaw dropped and she had to blink a few times before the small figure finally registered.  
  
"Daphne?"  
  
The woman at the door smiled and moved into the room.  
  
"Merlin's Beard!" Glory stood suddenly and stared at the darkhaired woman. "Daphne? What are you doing here? I haven't seen you in so long, how are you?"  
  
Daphne grinned. "Glory, calm down. I'm here to see you. I'm good."  
  
Glory still stared at her friend, then moved forward and wrapped the smaller woman in a hug. "It's so good to see you. You have no idea what's been going on lately."  
  
Daphne hugged back tightly, still smiling. "What do you mean?"  
  
Glory moved away, then took her seat once again and shook her head. "I wasn't allowed to tell anyone why I had to retire. Not even you . . . not even my best friend."  
  
Daphne nodded slowly, then pulled a chair away from a desk and sat down. "No one would tell us why you left. They just kept saying that you needed 'personal time'."  
  
Glory laughed bitterly, shaking her head. "You have no idea, Daphne. They forced me to retire. They said I was a risk to be around. I couldn't risk the lives of the other Aurors. They were right, I suppose."  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about," Daphne said, even though she knew exactly what Glory meant. "How could you be a risk to us? We trusted you."  
  
Glory smiled gratefully. "We worked well together. I trusted my group and you trusted me. We could have beat this together if they had just given me a chance."  
  
"Glory, please tell me what you're talking about."  
  
She sighed. "Daphne, it's such a long story. I don't even know where I can possibly begin. There's so much behind it." She leaned back in her chair and tossed her friend a very tired smile. "Well, you know the story about Lucius and Severus and what they did to me," she began. "It started there. Whatever power dark wizards have, we know it's strong. It's inside of my Daphne . . . every time one of them forced themselves on me I took away a part of their power."  
  
She continued to speak and Daphne sat in the room as the world outside slowly darkened. She nodded occasionally, pretending she was actually interested in what Glory had to say, but inside her mind was whirling. If no one else saw her, Daphne would be able to take Glory right out of the school and she wouldn't suspect a thing. She could deliver her right into Voldemort's arms without a single fight and Lucius would be sure to follow.   
  
He would be pleased with her . . . he would be very pleased.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Lucius tapped his foot impatiently, then glanced at Lupin, who shrugged. Snape and Glory were supposed to meet them, but neither of them had shown up at the Great Hall for dinner and neither had been in their rooms. Lucius was worried, but he tried to remain calm as he ran through the possible places Glory could have gone after her last class. He didn't want to follow her everywhere, but the undeniable sense of panic was embedded in his brain and it was impossible to ignore it once he had let it take root.   
  
"Severus wouldn't do this," Lupin said nervously. "He would be here."  
  
Lucius nodded. "I know. But we've already looked in their rooms for them. Where else could they possibly be?"  
  
"Have you checked the Defense classroom?" Lupin asked. "Maybe Glory got caught up in marking papers and decided to skip dinner."  
  
Lucius shook his head. "She told me that she didn't have any marking to do over the weekend. We were going to-" he stopped short and glanced at Lupin. "I'm sorry. Glory told me about . . . the time in the pub before we took her."  
  
Lupin waved his hands. "You have nothing to apologize for . . . at least, to me. I don't know what Glory said to you, but we've both changed. It was a very long time ago."  
  
Lucius nodded, falling silent as he glanced down the long hall once again. "Maybe we should go look in their classrooms," he suggested.  
  
Lupin followed his gaze down the hall, then nodded. "There isn't much else to do."  
  
They walked toward the dungeons in silence, each consumed by his own guesses at what could have happened to Glory and Snape. At the basis of every thought was their fear that somehow, a Death Eater had managed to slip into Hogwarts unnoticed and had taken Glory with him. The fear at the root of Lupin's nervousness was that Snape had never turned his back on Voldemort and that he had been the one to take Glory away.   
  
"What if Draco did something," Lucius mused aloud.  
  
Lupin glanced sharply at him. "You think he's a Death Eater?"  
  
"It's horrible, isn't it?" Lucius asked, meeting the other man's eyes. "It's horrible that I suspect my own son, but suddenly I have this feeling . . ." he trailed off and shook his head. "I'm not sure what to think anymore."  
  
Lupin nodded and they lapsed into silence once more as the school darkened slightly. As they passed by a window, Lupin glanced out to see the sun nearly at the horizon and he realized with a start what day it was.  
  
"I know where Snape's been," he said urgently, rushing down the hall.   
  
"Why?" Lucius asked as he hurried after him. "What's going on?"  
  
Lupin stumbled and nearly fell, grabbing a doorframe as he went. "Just move," he panted, his voice sounding deeper than earlier.  
  
"Remus?" Glory asked, coming out of her nearby classroom.  
  
Lucius turned toward her and grabbed her arm. "You were supposed to meet us."  
  
"Hurry!" Lupin growled, falling to all fours.  
  
"Remus!" Glory called, coming out into the hall.  
  
"Glory?" someone called from inside the classroom and Lucius frowned, turning toward the voice.  
  
He froze and his heart began to thud in his chest. She couldn't be standing in Glory's classroom because if she was, that meant that a Death Eater had found her way onto the grounds. That would mean that a Death Eater had been within five feet of Glory.  
  
"Daphne," he growled, in a voice almost as menacing at Lupin's.  
  
"We have to get him to see Severus!" Glory cried from the hall, helping Lupin to his feet and dragging him along.  
  
"No," Lucius yelled, his voice commanding and strong. "Stop moving. There is a Death Eater in your classroom."  
  
Glory turned, her eyes wide. "What?"  
  
"Daphne Heyman," Lucius said, advancing on the woman in the room.  
  
"No," Glory said, shaking her head. Lupin was still hanging on her, panting heavily against her side. "She's an Auror, Lucius. She was my best friend."  
  
"She betrayed you!" Lucius roared, grabbing Daphne's arm and yanking her into the hall. "She's a Death Eater!"  
  
"No," Glory said again.  
  
Lupin moaned into her shoulder.  
  
Daphne grinned, then rubbed up against Lucius. "Why'd you have to tell her that and ruin all my fun, love?"  
  
He glared at her and shoved her away. Glory stared at her friend, her mouth slightly open.  
  
Daphne's grin grew wider and she moved over to Lucius again. "Come on, lover. Glory doesn't know about us? She doesn't know how you loved me?"  
  
"I never loved you," Lucius growled.  
  
"Oh, but you love her, right?" Daphne asked, gesturing at Glory.  
  
Glory shook her head. "Daphne?"  
  
"Sorry I never told you, Glor, but the Dark Lord wanted me to be a bit of a double agent. You trusted me. It was the perfect guise for me to come to Hogwarts and take you back to him."  
  
"You wouldn't have done it," Glory said.  
  
Daphne laughed. "I would have if these two idiots hadn't come looking for you." She glared at Lucius. "You've changed, love. She has you wrapped around her little finger. You wouldn't have stood for that a few years ago."  
  
"Shut up, Daphne," he growled.  
  
Glory lowered her head, then let out a deep breath and caught Lucius's gaze. "I'll deal with this later. Right now we have to get Remus to see Severus. He needs to take his wolfsbane potion or he's going to turn."  
  
Lupin drew in a shuddering breath from beside her, then collapsed again.  
  
"Remus," Glory said, tugging at his arm urgently. "Come on."  
  
He turned his face up to look at her and Glory found herself staring into the feral yellow eyes of the wolf.  
  
  
* * * * 


	18. Chapter Eighteen

* * * *  
  
Lucius stared in shock as Glory backed away slightly from Lupin, her hands trembling as she held them in front of her. Lupin moved toward her slightly, crawling forward on his hands and knees, his body shuddering with every move he made. His shoulders broadened, stretching and ripping the material that covered his back. Muscles rippled through his body as his legs bent backward, throwing his form into that of a dog. His face lengthened and his ears moved back as hair sprouted over his body.  
  
"Oh Gods," Daphne whispered from beside Lucius and tried to make a run for it. He grabbed her arm tightly and pushed her into the classroom.   
  
"You're not going anywhere," he growled, pointing his wand at her. A length of rope shot out from the end and wrapped around Daphne's body, then tied her wrists and ankles tightly. She tumbled to the floor, cursing Lucius and working on the ropes that bound her body.  
  
He darted back into the hall, leaving the Death Eater on the floor. Outside, Lupin had shed his clothing and had fully turned into the wolf. He was hunched low on the floor, his legs quivering with tension as he glared at Glory. His yellow eyes never left her face, even as she edged away from him, her own body shaking as she went.  
  
A snarl filled the hall, chilling Lucius and sending Glory back against the wall, whimpering. Her eyes shut automatically and tears squeezed from beneath her lids as she pressed herself into the stone, willing herself to melt right into the wall. Her trembling hands scratched at the stone and Lucius wanted to yell at her, tell her to stop. If her mindless scratching tore a nail and drew blood, Lupin would be drawn into a frenzy. He was a wolf. He relied on the scent of blood.  
  
"Lupin, no!" Snape called sharply and Lucius turned to see him standing down the hall with a steaming goblet in his hand. "Stay away from her!"  
  
"You can't command a wolf," Lucius hissed fiercely. "Just shut up."  
  
Snape glared at Lucius, but said nothing.  
  
Lupin growled deep in his throat, moving closer to Glory and sniffing her arm. A terrified moan escaped her throat and the wolf jumped backward, growling cautiously as he studied the woman against the wall.   
  
"Lupin!" Snape called again, dropping the goblet with a clatter.   
  
The wolf whirled around at the noise and glared at Snape, his glowing eyes narrowing at he stared down the hall. Snape stared back, his hands steady as he brought them slowly to his side. Lupin advanced on him, his padded paws making barely a sound on the cold floor. As he approached the Potions Master, Snape caught Lucius's eye and nodded toward Glory.  
  
Lucius realized with a start what Snape was trying to do. As he distracted Lupin, Lucius gestured toward Glory, but her eyes remained closed and she stayed pressed against the wall.  
  
"Get her," Snape hissed.  
  
Lucius nodded, then reached out. "Glory," he whispered, trying to get her attention. He moved toward her slowly, not wanting to distract Lupin from Snape. "Glory," he said a little louder.  
  
Her eyes opened slightly, but they didn't focus on him. Instead, she stared at the wolf advancing on Snape, then shut her eyes tighter than before. Lucius swore under his breath, then froze as Lupin swung around to stare at him. The wolf didn't seem to be interesting in him as he turned back to Snape and Lucius felt his shoulder sag with relief. He looked at Glory again, then took another step toward her.  
  
"Glory!" he said, a bit louder this time.  
  
Lupin snarled and turned, taking a bounding leap and launching himself at Glory. Her eyes opened immediately and she screamed, throwing her hands up in front of her. He came down on her, his paws thumping painfully against her chest and grappling for a hold in her skin. One of his claws tore through her robes, slicing deeply into her shoulder and she screamed again.   
  
"Bloody hell!" Snape growled, darting forward.  
  
Lucius remained frozen where he was. He couldn't believe what had just happened. A werewolf had scratched Glory and there would be no escaping the fact that she would be a werewolf even if she lived through the attack.  
  
Lupin's jaws snapped angrily in the air, his teeth clacking loudly. Glory fought him off, her hands pressed against his throat and her knees pressed into his stomach. Another scream ripped from her throat just as a low howl escaped Lupin. The combined sound was chilling and Lucius felt his legs weaken. A moment later the ground came rushing up to meet him and his jaw slammed painfully onto the stone floor.  
  
His vision blurred with the impact, but Lucius refused to let himself pass out. He saw Snape's boots come near his face and pass by. He could hear Glory's pained screams and Lupin's snarls of rage, he could only imagine what the werewolf was doing to her. From the corner of his eyes he saw a pair of tiny feet emerge from a classroom, pause for a moment, then dart down the hall. Daphne had escaped his ropes.  
  
"Dammit, Lucius," Snape called, "get up and help me!"  
  
Lucius blinked, then slowly rose, steadying himself. His eyes fell on Glory and Lupin and he nearly collapsed again. The wound on her shoulder was steadily pouring blood, staining her robes, the floor and Lupin's brown fur. She had a thin cut above her eyebrow and blood was dripping into her eye, smearing on the shining skin of her scar.  
  
He took a step forward, then another, unsure of what Snape wanted him to do. The Potions Master was trying to get between Glory and Lupin without getting himself scratched or bitten, but it didn't seem to be a very good plan.  
  
"You're hurting me."  
  
Lucius barely heard the words under the snarling wolf, but he froze the moment they reached his ears. It was been those words that had started Glory's strange ability to pull power from anyone who hurt her. Those had been the words that had helped her to take a little piece of every man who had ever hurt her.  
  
"Glory, no," he said urgently, rushing forward.  
  
Before he could reach them, Lupin howled in pain, dropping away from the woman he had intended to kill. Her hands were still tangled in his fur and she hauled him back toward her, her arms shaking with exertion.  
  
"What the hell is she doing?" Snape cried, alarmed.  
  
"She's taking his power," Lucius answered.  
  
Lupin howled again, trying to escape her clutches, but she held him tightly. The cut above her eyebrow slowly healed, leaving only the tiniest mark behind. Her shoulder stopped bleeding and closed slightly as she drew power from the werewolf.  
  
The fur began to melt away, the powerful muscles of the wolf giving way to the lean man. Still, Glory clenched his arms tightly, keeping him close to her. Her entire body shook, power surging through her and her eyes fluttered. Lucius looked away when he caught a glimpse of the wild golden colour in her own eyes.  
  
"She did this to all of us?" Snape asked.  
  
Lucius shook his head. "Not like this. Never to this extent. But she never had to fear for her life before this."  
  
Both men fell silent and watched as Lupin's body dropped to the ground. Glory remained where she was, still trembling, her eyes still blindingly yellow. Snape took off his cloak and draped it over Lupin's weakened body, then touched Glory's arm.  
  
She blinked and the yellow was gone.  
  
"What happened?" she asked, then put a hand to her stomach and doubled over. She retched on the floor, her stomach heaving again and again. "Oh Gods," she murmured finally. "I took his power, didn't I?"  
  
Lucius nodded slowly.   
  
"What does that mean?" she asked.  
  
Snape stared at her, completely speechless.   
  
"I don't know," Lucius answered.  
  
"It means she took the wolf out of me," Lupin breathed, his chest hitching painfully as he turned to look at them. He sat up and pulled Snape's cloak tighter around his shoulders. "I can't feel it inside me anymore."  
  
Glory looked horrified. "Does that mean that I'm . . . that I'll turn?"  
  
Snape walked down the fall and picked up his fallen wand. "Go to the window," he said. "Look out at the moon. If you turn I'll subdue you."  
  
Glory nodded, then slowly stood and went to the window. Her eyes moved over the sky, finding the silver orb and she stared at it, aware of every sensation in her body. Nothing happened. No muscles stretched, no fur grew on her body.   
  
She just felt powerful.   
  
Lupin lowered his head. "She cured me," he whispered.   
  
Glory turned toward him, a smile breaking out over her face. "I did. I took the wolf out of you."  
  
Lupin slumped against the wall, tears collecting in his eyes and trickling down his cheeks. "Gods . . . I'm free. I'm finally free."   
  
Lucius nodded slowly, then turned back to see the abandoned ropes in the classroom. "Daphne escaped," he said softly. "Not to take away from this, but she's after you, Glory. She's not your best friend anymore."  
  
Glory let out a deep breath, then leaned against the wall beside Lupin and dropped down beside him. "One thing at a time, Lucius."  
  
  
* * * * 


	19. Chapter Nineteen

Notes: I know this chapter has been a long time coming, but I was so uninspired. Seeing CoS definitely fixed that! :D  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Dumbledore studied Glory and Lupin from behind his desk, his eyes taking in the strong body of Glory and the trembling one of Lupin. The power transfer was obvious from where he sat, especially in the eyes of each. Glory seemed slightly shocked, but there was something behind her eyes that spoke of the immense power she had soaked in. Lupin, on the other hand, looked more alive than he had in years. His eyes were clear and, for the first time, he didn't look ashamed of himself.  
  
"Have you found any side effects yet?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
Glory shook her head. "The moon doesn't affect me, I don't turn into the werewolf."  
  
"A blessing," Dumbledore said.  
  
"Of course. I feel more powerful than ever before, but that's about it." She looked down. "I don't think I can control it yet."  
  
"We have no need to discover if you can control it," Dumbledore said. "All we need to do is keep you away from Voldemort. He can't know that you've taken in more power . . . especially a power of this magnitude." His blue eyes turned to Lupin. "How are you feeling, Remus?"  
  
"Weak," he answered, pulling his robes tighter around him. "But otherwise I feel . . ." he glanced at Glory and smiled slightly. "I feel like I never have before."  
  
She smiled back, nodding in his direction, then looked back at the Headmaster. "About the Death Eater," she began.  
  
Dumbledore waved his hand in her direction. "Daphne Heyman. The Ministry is already on it and they'll find her."  
  
"Once they find her, they'll find Voldemort," Glory said softly. "The way she was talking to Lucius . . ." she trailed off and shook her head. "She's in his inner circle, Albus. I'm sure that she is. She sounded nothing like the woman I once knew."  
  
"I know this must be hard for you," he said sympathetically. "You trusted this woman for so long and she betrayed you."  
  
Glory bit her lip and nodded. "I don't know what to think anymore. If she could betray me then anyone could."  
  
"No," Lupin said sharply, then grabbed Glory's arm to steady himself. "Don't think like that."  
  
"I must agree with Remus," Dumbledore said.  
  
Lupin stared at her. "You can trust me . . . and Lucius. He loves you. You can trust Albus and Severus." His eyes bore into hers. "You can trust us."  
  
She nodded slowly. "I know that, but everything is so frightening now. I could never have imagined that Daphne would turn on me like that." Her blue eyes left his and she stared across the room, focusing on Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes. "I just thought that . . ." she trailed off and shook her head. "My life is such a mess, such a disaster. How is it that the one person I thought I could trust is the one person I can't? And the men who destroyed my life are now the ones protecting me? It's just so bizarre."  
  
Dumbledore smiled softly. "Life never works out they way you've planned."  
  
Glory shook her head again. "I just feel so lost."  
  
Lupin sighed, moving close to her and gently touching her arm. "You're not lost . . . not here. Come on, I'll walk you back to your room."  
  
She nodded. "Thanks."  
  
"Sleep well, Glory," Dumbledore said. "Do not let Daphne's betrayal keep you awake. She does not deserve to be in your thoughts more than necessary."  
  
"Thank you, Albus," she said, then followed Lupin out of the office and down the stairs to the hall.   
  
They walked in silence, their shoes echoing in the empty halls as they went. Glory toyed absentmindedly with her wand as she walked, her hands clenching and unclenching unconsciously. Lupin sighed, touching her arm again.  
  
"Glory, you can't let this bother you."  
  
She smiled softly. "Why am I so easy to read?"  
  
Lupin grinned at her. "You're not, but what else could possibly be bothering you?"  
  
She fell silent again, taking her time to arrange the thoughts that were running through her head. "It's just . . . it's almost like no one is taking this seriously, even me. I never thought I could actually be in danger until Lucius told me what Daphne was and it suddenly struck me. If she had taken me only five minutes earlier then I might be dead now. You might be dead."  
  
"I'm pureblood," Lupin said softly.  
  
"That's not the point," Glory replied. "The point is that Voldemort could have used my power and it would have been because I'm too trusting. I'm too forgiving."  
  
Lupin frowned. "You don't mean Lucius and Severus, do you?"  
  
Glory shrugged. "I don't know what I mean, exactly."  
  
He stopped in the hall and turned toward her, grabbing her forearms. "Listen to me, Glory. You have a great gift. You know how to forgive. Not many people in your position would be so understanding."  
  
"Is that really a gift?" she asked.  
  
Lupin nodded firmly. "Yes. It's a great gift and because of it you're still here. Do you think you would have managed to stay safe without the protection of Lucius and Severus?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"I don't either, but I have a feeling you're much safer with the two of them looking out for you. It's only because of your ability to forgive their pasts that they can protect you like they are." He smiled and shook his head. "You're an extraordinary woman and you have all the protection you'll ever need."  
  
Glory flushed slightly and looked away. "Lupin, I-"  
  
"I don't mean it like that," he said, cutting her off. "I may have at one point, but not now. I know how happy Lucius makes you and that is all that's important."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
He grinned again. "Come on. Lucius will have my head if I don't get you back to your room quickly."   
  
They fell silent again, walking slowly down the hall, Glory's arm entwined comfortably with Lupin's. Walking so close to her he could feel the energy radiating off her body. Her skin was warm and his own arm tingled as the energy bounced off him and back to her.   
  
"Have I thanked you?" he asked suddenly.  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Have I thanked you?" he repeated.  
  
Glory frowned. "For what?"  
  
"For freeing me."  
  
She smiled softly. "No need for thanks. I didn't have much of a choice."  
  
Lupin squeezed her arm. "Thank you anyway."  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Daphne stumbled into the house that Voldemort had taken over as his own and collapsed onto the floor. Her body was weak and tired, more from fear than anything else. She had failed her Lord and for it, she was sure to die. A shadow passed over the place where she lay and slowly, Daphne looked up into the face of Tina.  
  
"Where's the girl?"  
  
Daphne closed her eyes and heaved a sigh.  
  
"You didn't get her," Tina said with a harsh laugh. "You're going to be in so much trouble."  
  
"Lucius surprised us," she said, sitting up and glaring at Tina. "And there was a werewolf. How the hell was I supposed to know a werewolf would attack her?"  
  
Tina raised her eyebrows, looking suddenly interested in what Daphne had to say. "A werewolf?"  
  
Daphne nodded and stood unsteadily. "Some friend of hers is a werewolf. The last thing I saw was the wolf going for her throat and Glory was barely able to hold it off. That thing was so powerful."  
  
Tina's eyes glowed and a smile crossed her face. "Did you see anything else? Anything at all?"  
  
Daphne frowned. "Like what?"  
  
Tina sighed. "You just said it yourself. The werewolf was powerful. Don't you remember anything about Glory, anything at all? She draws in power, she takes power from those who are hurting her."  
  
Daphne's jaw dropped. "You mean that she could have taken his power?"  
  
"That's exactly what happened," a cold voice said from the shadows. "I can feel her now. She's more powerful than before."  
  
"My Lord," Daphne said, scrambling to him and kissing the hem of his robe. "I have failed you. I am so sorry."  
  
"Hush," he demanded, waving his hand. "I will agree that you have failed to bring Lucius and Glory to me, but by leaving her at the school you allowed for a far larger power transfer. She is worth more to me now than she has ever been. I will allow this mistake to go unpunished, but you must not disappoint me again."  
  
"I swear to you, my Lord, I will not fail again."  
  
He nodded. "Good. Then I have one final task for you and Tina to complete for me."  
  
Daphne rose and Tina joined her in front of Voldemort.  
  
"Anything, my Lord," Tina murmured.  
  
"You will both go to Hogwarts tonight and you will have Lucius bring Glorificus to me."  
  
Daphne frowned. "How?"  
  
He fixed her with a freezing glare. "Am I to assume you have forgotten how to use the Imperius curse?"  
  
"My Lord, of course."  
  
"Go. Bring them both back to me." He paused and smiled. "Don't let her see either of you. Make her think that her precious Lucius has betrayed her. I want her broken when she falls at my feet."  
  
  
* * * * 


	20. Chapter Twenty

* * * *  
  
  
Lucius pressed his lips gently to Glory's forehead, putting his weight on his elbows and resting on top of her. She heaved a deep breath under him, then nudged him aside gently, pressing her palms against his pale chest. He smiled, kissing her again and running his lips over her cheek to her throat.  
  
"You're awfully pushy," she giggled against him, kissing him back softly.  
  
"Can you blame me?" he asked.  
  
Glory shrugged and smiled, snuggling closer to him. "You really will keep me safe, won't you?" she asked, suddenly serious.  
  
Lucius stared down at her, his pale eyes wide. "Of course. You know I will."  
  
"Daphne's betrayal scared me," she said softly.  
  
"I would never do that," he promised, tilting her chin so that she was looking him in the eye. "Marry me," he murmured suddenly.  
  
Glory blinked, then stared at him. "What?"  
  
"Marry me," he repeated. "Good Lord, you know I'd do anything for you, Glory. Please, will you marry me?"  
  
She stared at him for a moment longer before a shy smile turned up the corners of her mouth. "Where's my ring?"  
  
Lucius laughed, then stood, wrapping the bed sheets around his body. Glory grabbed at the comforter and pulled it close, watching as he went to his closet and opened the trunk that was sitting on the floor. A second later he held a tiny box in his hand and was walking back toward the bed.  
  
"I was only joking," Glory said suddenly, as he held the box out to her. "I didn't expect you to have a ring."  
  
"Well, I do," Lucius said, then opened the box and pressed it into her hands.  
  
Glory stared down at a gold ring that twisted like ribbon around a deep blue stone. It sparkled in the dim candlelight of their bedroom as Lucius took it from the box and slid it carefully onto her finger.  
  
"Merlin's beard," she whispered, marvelling at it. "Lucius, it's beautiful."  
  
He smiled. "Can I take that as a yes?"  
  
Glory threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "Yes."  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Just as his father opened the ring box in another part of the castle, Draco Malfoy awoke in his dormitory, his left forearm burning angrily. He scratched at it absentmindedly, then sat up in his bed and pushed up his sleeve. He'd never been called before, never in the entire year he'd been a Death Eater. He had never even come face to face with Voldemort and now he was being called for something.  
  
Trembling from head to toe, Draco stood and dressed quietly, not wanting to wake the others in his room and have to explain where he was going at one in the morning. He threw on his heavy outer cloak, then crept down the dormitory stairs and through the Slytherin common room. He didn't know where the go, only that he had to move otherwise it would seem as if he was ignoring the call.  
  
He stepped into the hall, staring down the stairs to his right, then turned abruptly to his left and walked straight into a small, but strong body. He nearly screamed, but a hand clamped down over his mouth and he found himself staring into the dark eyes of Daphne Heyman.  
  
"Keep your mouth shut, Draco," she warned before releasing him.  
  
"What are you doing here?" he hissed, following her as she walked briskly down the hall.  
  
"I'm here the collect your father and your professor," she said, motioning for him to follow her into an empty classroom. "We need your help to get us into his rooms."  
  
"We?" Draco asked.  
  
Daphne nodded, motioning to another woman in the room with long, dark hair. "That's Tina. Lord Voldemort sent us both to deal with Glory and Lucius."  
  
"Deal with them?" Draco asked. "You mean bring them back?"  
  
Tina nodded. "Yeah, kid, bring them back."  
  
"Will I finally get to meet Lord Voldemort?" he asked, his pale eyes glowing with excitement.  
  
Tina smiled at him softly. "Yeah, kid. You'll get to meet him alright."  
  
"Once he's got my father and Glory, he'll kill them, won't he?" Draco asked.  
  
Daphne met his eye and smiled dangerously. "He'll kill them all."  
  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Lucius stood, watching Glory sleep peacefully in their bed, then went to the window beside him. Moonlight poured onto the floor, silver light washed over his body as he moved making him look even more pale than usual. As dangerous a time it was, Lucius couldn't help but feel happier than he had in a very long time. He was going to marry Glory and he'd be able to keep her safe forever. There was no way his son could be a Death Eater and, in time, even Draco would see how right it was for his father to be with Glory.  
  
Lucius stretched, then leaned his head against the window, staring down at the grounds below him. Everything looked so peaceful, so perfect. A light snow covered the grounds and crystals formed on his window as he breathed hot air across the cool surface. He had never dreamed he would be welcome back at Hogwarts and yet here he was, enjoying the magical view of the grounds.  
  
A soft knock at the door startled him and he turned quickly, then reached for his pants and pulled them on as he went to the door.   
  
"Who is it?" he asked.  
  
"Dad, I need to speak with you," Draco's voice said from the other side of the door.  
  
Lucius opened the door and frowned down at his son. "It's one thirty in the morning, what are you doing-"  
  
"Imperio."  
  
Lucius was cut off as his vision swam and he found he no longer has control over his body. Every inch of him screamed to slam the door and cover Glory with his body, protecting her life with his own, but he could do nothing but stand in the doorway and wait for orders.  
  
"Go to her," a voice inside his head insisted. He tried to resist, but found his legs moving across the room. "Wake her," the voice said.  
  
Lucius leaned over the bed and roughed grabbed Glory's arm.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Glory woke with a start when a hand clamped onto her arm, pulling her from the bed. Her eyes opened to see Lucius standing over her, a vacant look in his pale eyes. His finger tightened, pulling her close to him and she wondered, for just a second, if he was playing with her.   
  
"Get dressed," he said, pushing her toward her closet.  
  
The voice he spoke with wasn't his own, it was cold and hard, different from anything she'd ever heard come out of it. Different even from the times he'd coldly raped her.  
  
"Lucius, I don't understand," she said.  
  
"Get dressed," he repeated, yanking jeans and a sweater from her closet. "Put these on now, then put on your robes. Leave your wand, you won't be needing it."  
  
Glory frowned as she pulled the sweater over her head. "My wand? Lucius, what's going on? You know I need my wand."  
  
A chilling smile crossed his lips then, causing Glory to take a step away from him. His fingers flexed, then reached for her.   
  
"You won't be needing your wand ever again," he said. "Not where I'm taking you." His hands closed down on her arm again and he dragged her from the room, yanking her into the hall and shoving her against one of the people that stood there.  
  
"Imperio," a lazy female voice drawled and Glory found her body under the control of Tina.  
  
Daphne smiled and waved at her, gesturing to Draco by her side. His wand was hidden deep within the folds of his robes, but it was still pointed at his father. He knew not to let her see that Lucius was under a spell, she had to believe that he had betrayed her.  
  
As Glory watched, Lucius went to Daphne's other side, then bent his head to kiss her deeply. She wanted to scream, she wanted to fly across the hall and attack Daphne with all the power that rested inside her body, but she could do nothing was watch. Lucius's thin fingers trailed down the front of Daphne's robes, then slipped inside and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her close to him.  
  
"Enough of that," Tina snapped, then glanced at Glory. "Hi there, Glorificus. I'm Tina. Walk."  
  
So she did. She walked down the hall, unable to see anything but Lucius and Daphne in front of her, their hands entwined and their heads close together as they talked softly. She hated him in that moment, hated him more than she had ever hated him before. All the times he'd hurt her felt like nothing compared to his betrayal. He had asked her to marry him, he had made her believe that he loved her and now . . . now he was leading her to death.  
  
She wanted to sob, but her throat refused to cooperate though she pushed against the curse as hard as she could. A name rose, unbidden in her vocal chords, but she didn't fight it. She let the sound rise, closer to her tongue and her lips, closer to being spoken aloud.  
  
"Remus," she sobbed loudly, staggering before Tina snapped her wand and pushed Glory ahead. It hadn't been much, but at the moment that noise was the only hope she had. If someone had heard she might be saved. If Lupin or Snape had heard, she would at least have a fighting chance.  
  
  
* * * * 


	21. Chapter Twenty One

Notes: I did not intend to get this chapter up so soon, but it basically wrote itself and I decided to post it. I have no willpower . . . I couldn't wait until tomorrow. :)  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Lupin woke slowly as something pulled him toward consciousness. He stared at the canopy over his bed, wondering what exactly had woken him up. There was nothing to indicate anyone had intentionally woke him up and he could hear nothing in his room and nothing in the hall outside. With a sigh, he turned over, prepared to go back to sleep.  
  
"Remus."  
  
His name was being called from somewhere outside his room and he sat up with a start, staring at his doorway. The noise didn't come again, but he was sure he hadn't imagined it. He had never heard someone sob his name like that before and it had scared him, left him shivering even after the noise had faded.  
  
Lupin got up and dressed quickly, then tucked his wand into the pocket of his robe and opened his bedroom door quietly. The hall was empty, but somewhere in the castle he could hear footsteps, most likely a group of people rather than just one. He turned away from the noise and walked toward the area of the school where the teachers stayed. He wanted to make sure that Glory was alright before going to the Headmaster about anything.  
  
Halfway to her room he ran into Snape. The Potions Master was still shrugged into his robes and buttoning the last buttons on his shirt, though his wand was out and ready.  
  
"I heard something," he hissed. "Glory's room is empty. She and Lucius are gone."  
  
"He couldn't have come into the school, could he?" Lupin asked, drawing his own wand and glancing around the hall.  
  
Snape shook his head. "No. Voldemort cannot come onto the grounds at all. He must have sent someone back again for the both of them."  
  
"Have you check the Slytherin dormitory?" Lupin asked.  
  
Snape glanced at him sharply. "What exactly are you suggesting?"  
  
Lupin sighed and took a deep breath. "Lucius was worried than his son was a Death Eater and it does seem rather suspicious that he wanted to kill her out of jealously."  
  
"Draco?" Snape asked, shaking his head. "Never. The boy is cruel, but he isn't evil."  
  
"You don't know him, Severus."  
  
"I do know him and I know he is not a Death Eater."  
  
Lupin inclined his head slightly. "If you insist."  
  
"Do not patronize me, Lupin," Snape growled. "We go to Albus and then we find Glory and Lucius." He began to walk quickly down the hall and Lupin had to hurry to keep up with him. "I swear, if he betrayed us . . ." Snape left the threat hanging, but Lupin knew exactly what he meant. If Lucius had betrayed them and taken Glory to Voldemort, Snape would kill him instantly.  
  
"How are we going to find them?" Lupin asked as they hurried down the hall.  
  
Snape sighed angrily. "I know a locator spell . . . it's dark magic, but I don't know what other choice we have."  
  
Lupin nodded, then decided not to continue speaking. The Potions Master seemed agitated enough as it was and he definitely did not want to be the one who made that worse. Within minutes they were at the Headmaster's office door and Snape stepped forward, muttering something that sounded strangely like, 'purple striped socks' and the door opened. They walked up the long flight of stairs and entered the cramped and unorganized office. Fawkes gave a whistle of recognition and a moment later, Dumbledore descended from the staircase above.  
  
"Albus, they're gone," Snape said quickly.   
  
"Who took them?"  
  
"I can't be sure. There's no sign of a struggle and that can mean only two things."  
  
"What two things?" Lupin asked.  
  
Snape glanced at him, then back toward Dumbledore. "Either someone they trusted asked them to open the door and then put them under the Imperius curse."  
  
"Or?" Lupin asked, when Snape didn't continue.  
  
Snape shot Lupin a dark look, then said, "Or Lucius took her."  
  
"Surely you don't really believe that, Severus," Dumbledore said.  
  
"I don't know what I believe at the moment, Albus. My main concern is getting Glory back alive."  
  
"Your main concern is making sure she doesn't spill her power over the world," Lupin corrected. When Snape opened his mouth angrily, Lupin held up his hand. "That is not a bad thing, Severus. One of us has to think in terms of the world and the other; in terms of the woman. I know how you think and I am grateful for it."  
  
Snape lowered his eyes, then glanced at Dumbledore. "I need to do a locator spell to find them."  
  
"Severus, are you sure?"  
  
Snape nodded. "I need the root of asphodel and I need a map."  
  
"A map of the country?" Dumbledore asked, rummaging through a few books on his shelves.  
  
Snape nodded. "If Fawkes would be so kind as to lend me a tail feather I would be most appreciative."  
  
The bird turned willingly and let Snape pluck a shimmering gold feather from his tail, before turning back to watch the spell begin. Dumbledore laid the map out on his desk, then handed Snape a jar containing a withered root of asphodel inside. Snape reached inside and took the root in his hand, squeezing it tightly into a fine powder. It crumbled in his palm when he opened it and he dipped the end of the feather into it, swirling it around in his hand.  
  
"Blackest night," he whispered, the feather still swishing lazily through the power. "Darkest power, let me see those who I desire. Tell me where they hide and who hides them. Show me."  
  
Lupin's eyes widened when he saw that the powder had turned into a shimmering liquid in Snape's hand. He dipped the tail feather into it, then drew a large circle around the edges of the map. The feather was dropped in the centre and a moment later the liquid had turned back into a powder. He blew this across the map, covering it with a light dusting.  
  
"Show me," he hissed again.  
  
Slowly, tiny gold lights appeared on the map, five of them in all. They covered a small portion of the map and it told them that they were in a small town just outside of Surrey.   
  
"Three Death Eaters are with them," Snape muttered thoughtfully, touching the lights. "Three. It doesn't show anyone else."  
  
"Surrey it is," Lupin said, glancing at Snape. "Shall we?"  
  
Snape nodded, blowing over the map once more. The lights disappeared and the feather dissolved into a dust that Dumbledore shook onto the floor. Fawkes made a strange hooting noise, then tucked his head under his wing.  
  
Snape managed to smile. "I can take a hint."  
  
Dumbledore stared at them gravely. "Be careful. Don't do anything foolish. Bring Glory home and bring Lucius if he is still with us."  
  
"Aren't you coming?" Lupin asked.  
  
Dumbledore smiled gently. "I would love to help, Remus, but you know I can't leave the students here alone. The possibility of what may happen, should the two of you fail, is a very frightening reality. These children need me."  
  
"For a man who speaks of impending doom you certainly seem calm," Lupin said.  
  
Dumbledore's smile grew and he settled contently in his chair. "I am anything but, Remus. You should know me by now. Anything but calm." He stared at them a moment longer, then motioned to the door. "Good luck. Bring her home, if you can."  
  
Lupin nodded, then followed Snape out of the office and back down the stairs. They walked quickly, crossing the bounds of the school, then looked at each other for a long moment.  
  
"See you in Surrey," Snape said softly, then Apparated with a soft pop.  
  
Lupin sighed, then took a final look at the school and followed.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Lucius's eyes were different. She had decided that close to an hour ago when Daphne had been perched comfortably on his lap and she had been sitting across from them in a stiff, wooden chair. Glory knew him, she knew his eyes and the eyes she was studying were not the eyes of Lucius Malfoy. They had always been cold, but now they were far worse than cold. They looked almost dead, even as he focused them on her face she could see no emotion flickering behind them.  
  
"I can't believe you fell for it," Daphne said, laughing harshly. "You, of all people. Glorificus Beckwith, world renowned Auror fell for Lucius Malfoy's little act." Her dark eyes glinted maliciously. "Did you really believe he loved you?"  
  
Glory said nothing because she couldn't. She was still being held under the Imperius curse and she was suddenly glad that she couldn't move. Her anger might have taken over when Daphne spoke to her and there was no telling what she might do with the power now inside her.  
  
"Take the curse off her," Daphne said sharply. "I want to hear what the little whore has to say for herself."  
  
Tina cocked an eyebrow and glanced at Draco. He shrugged and she sighed, then flicked her wand and slowly, feeling returned to Glory's body.  
  
"Right then," Daphne said. "Did you ever really believe in his love?"  
  
Glory's eyes fell to the ring on her finger and she touched it gently. It was so beautiful, it looked so magical to her, a physical manifestation of everything Lucius had made her feel in the past few months. It was perfect, just like she thought their love had been.  
  
"C'mon, love," Daphne snapped. "Answer me."  
  
"I did," Glory said.  
  
Daphne laughed, burying her face in Lucius's shoulder. "I can't believe you thought he would really love a filthy woman like you. Look at you, you're disgusting. That scar that disfigures your face . . . and you always thought you were so pretty, didn't you?"  
  
Glory's hand went self consciously to the scar that marred her face, touching the smooth skin. Her ring glinted in the light and Daphne finally saw it, staring at it with hard eyes.  
  
"That's my ring," she hissed, getting up off the couch and crossing the room. "That's the ring Lucius said he would give me when he divorced Narcissa. He said it had been in his family for years and only his true love would get it. How did you get that ring?"  
  
When Glory didn't answer, Daphne's hand shot out and she slapped her across the face.  
  
"How did you get that ring?" she repeated.  
  
"He gave it to me," Glory said softly. "He asked me to marry him and he gave me the ring."  
  
"You're a lying bitch," Daphne hissed, slapping Glory's again. "He'd never go that far. He hated you. He thought you were the most disgusting thing he'd ever laid eyes on. He told me that he washed his hands every time he had to touch you."  
  
"I did not," a weak voice said from across the room.  
  
"Lucius!" Glory cried, jumping up from her chair.  
  
"Crucio," Daphne snapped and Glory fell backward, her body wracked with waves of pain. A trickle of blood escaped her mouth and a second later her nose began to bleed. She tried to scream, tried to take enough air into her lungs to scream in pain but she couldn't hitch even half a breath into her body.  
  
"Imperio," Draco yelled, his wand pointed at his father, but Lucius fought against it and ran to Glory's side.  
  
"You gave her my ring!" Daphne screamed. "How could you give her my ring?"  
  
"It was never your ring," he growled, gathering Glory into his arms. "You'll be okay," he whispered softly, stroking her hair and waiting for her body to relax in his grip. Her body jerked and twitched and her hand found his, squeezing it tightly through the haze of pain.  
  
"I wouldn't do that again," Lucius said in a warning tone. "I know Voldemort and I doubt he'll be pleased that you're trying to destroy his most powerful weapon."  
  
Daphne took a step away and looked to Tina for approval. The other Death Eater just rolled her eyes and settled back into her chair.  
  
"Just leave them, Daphne," she ordered. "Neither of them will be alive much longer."  
  
Lucius pressed his lips to Glory's temple and whispered into her hair, murmuring words of comfort and encouragement. After a long moment, her body slowly began to relax and her breathing returned to normal.  
  
"You'll be okay, love," he murmured into her hair.  
  
"Lucius?" she asked.  
  
He nodded. "They had me under the Imperius curse," he said softly. "Never, for a single second, believe that I wanted to hurt you. I love you."  
  
"We're going to die, aren't we?"  
  
Lucius smiled sadly. "It looks that way."  
  
"Then kiss me before we do," she said, smiling gently.  
  
He trailed his thumb across her lips, wiping away the blood that had collected there, then bent his head to kiss her softly. If he had to die, at least he would die with Glory by his side. If they both had to die, at least she knew he loved her.  
  
  
* * * * 


	22. Chapter Twenty Two

* * * *  
  
  
Voldemort lazily rolled his wand between his hands, staring at the young man who stood before him. He was thin, pale and blonde, every bit his father's son and as he stared at him, Voldemort felt the familiar twinge of hatred. Draco Malfoy reminded him of Lucius down to the very stance he took before his Lord and Lucius had betrayed him. The Malfoy name no longer meant anything to him, it was as bad as looking upon a Mudblood.   
  
With a shake of his head, Voldemort had to remind himself that the boy standing in front of him was not Lucius and he had no way of preventing his father's defection to Dumbledore's side. He was just a boy, a faithful follower who, unfortunately, looked far too much like his father.  
  
"Draco," Voldemort said, still rolling his wand in his fingers. "I understand you have helped the others bring Lucius and Glorificus to me."  
  
Draco nodded, his eyes on the floor. "Y-yes, my Lord."  
  
Voldemort smiled slightly. "Do I make you nervous?"  
  
Draco's blue eyes flicked upward slightly before he dropped them once more. "Yes, you do, my Lord."  
  
"And why is that, Draco?"  
  
"Because your power is so immense, my Lord. I have never felt power radiating off a body like this before," he paused thoughtfully, then said, "Except, perhaps, for the girl."  
  
Voldemort's smile widened. "You flatter me, young Malfoy. But you say that . . . the girl, as you call her, radiates power much like my own?"  
  
Draco's eyes came up once again and he nodded briskly. "Yes. It almost hurts to be around her. She wants to do something good with it, but she knows what you're going to do to the world and it scares her." He allowed himself a tiny smile. "She's afraid to die."  
  
Voldemort nodded. "Very good. Allow yourselves to feed the fear within her. Make her think that her death with be slow and painful, and let your father know that he will watch her die and take the Mudbloods with her before I allow him to finally die."  
  
Draco bowed deeply. "Of course I will, my Lord."  
  
"You have pleased me, Draco," Voldemort said. "Do not follow your father's failures."  
  
"Never."  
  
Voldemort nodded. "I will call the three of you when I have gathered the others to watch this momentous event. You may go now."  
  
Draco smiled, then turned and left the room. Voldemort watched him go, then smiled as well. The boy would be a faithful follower, a servant he would be able to trust in the long run. Once he had wiped the world clean, once he had flooded it with power and purged out the ones who didn't deserve to live, he would make sure Draco became his second in command. After all, the Malfoys had been his most powerful followers at one point. If all went well, he could keep that family name under his power.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
"There," Snape said, pointing to a small house down a winding dirt road. "That's the only house around here for miles. That has to be the place where Voldemort is hiding."  
  
Lupin squinted and stared at it. "Are you sure? It's so inconspicuous."  
  
"That's exactly what Voldemort would want, especially at a time like this," Snape explained, moving toward the road. "The whole of the Ministry is looking for him right now, as well as Dumbledore and most of the Aurors. Everyone knows what could happen if he uses Glory's power, this isn't a light situation, Lupin. He'll be as hidden as possible."  
  
"He should have left the country."  
  
Snape glanced at him. "How then, could you tell me, would he have gotten his hands on Glory?"  
  
Lupin sighed. "I'm sure he has Death Eaters all over the world, Severus. He could have found someway to transport her."  
  
A small smile crossed over Snape's lips. "You give far more credit than is due, Lupin. After his fall, many of the Death Eaters did return to their normal lives. Many of them truthfully realized the error of their ways."  
  
"Like you, for example," Lupin replied scathingly, before realizing exactly what he was saying.  
  
Snape stared at him for a long moment, then nodded. "Yes, like myself. The point was that Voldemort's support isn't as strong as it once was. There are those, of course, who would run back to him the moment he returned to power, but they would be killed instantly for their cowardice and betrayal. While he's still weak and on the run he has very few followers who would be willing to transport Glory anywhere."   
  
"So, he has to remain in the country where he can get at her easier," Lupin said.  
  
Snape nodded. "That is exactly why he's chosen to remain where he is in most danger of being caught. He knew that once he had Glory there was very little anyone could do to stop him."  
  
"You sound very resigned already," Lupin said. "If that's the way you feel then why are we even bothering with this? Neither of us are purebloods . . . shouldn't we just go back to Hogwarts and wait with the Headmaster until we die."  
  
Snape glared at him, his dark eyes very angry. "I said that he knew there was very little anyone could do." His gaze turned to the small house that lay up the road. "I never said that I believed it."  
  
Lupin nodded slowly. "What is our plan?"  
  
Snape glanced back at him and grinned softly. "Plan, Remus? I don't have a plan."  
  
Lupin stared at him, startled. "Two things, Severus . . ."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"First off; no plan? Are you mad? And second; that is the first time I've ever heard you use my name."  
  
Snape looked back at the house and sighed. "To answer; no plan because no matter what we plan, he'll know. We go in there just to get Glory out and to deal with Lucius in whatever way he needs to be dealt with. Second; I'm sorry."  
  
Lupin was taken even more aback by the apology than he had been by the use of his first name. "Sorry? What for?"  
  
"For being completely biased against for because of your school day friends," Snape said softly, still avoiding Lupin's gaze. "You were just a boy and you never did anything to harm me. The werewolf had nothing to do with my hatred for you . . . it was because of James Potter and Sirius Black." He held up a hand as Lupin tried to talk. "I know they were your friends, but that is not my concern. My concern is how you interact with me and . . . and I apologize."  
  
Lupin remained silent, but nodded slowly. "Thank you, then."  
  
Snape nodded as well. "Are you ready?"  
  
"For what?"  
  
"To walk into that house without a single thought of a plan inside your head?" Snape asked, smiling softly.  
  
Lupin nodded. "You know, Severus, I think I am."  
  
Each with their wand in hand, they turned and strode purposefully up the long road that led to the house.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Draco's arm burned, sending shooting pains clear to his shoulder and he glanced up to see Tina wincing and Daphne rubbing at her arm. He had called the three of them, they were to bring Lucius and Glory in to die that very moment. Voldemort's few faithful followers would be gathered, prepared to witness the momentous day when the world would be wiped clean of all the filth that inhabited it.   
  
Draco smiled softly, then grabbed Glory by the arm and hauled her to her feet. She made no noise as he pulled her and it disappointed him. With a malicious grin, he dug his fingers into her as tightly as he could, knowing it had to hurt her slightly. Her blue eyes turned to catch his and Draco's smile widened just before he caught the hint of a grin on her lips.  
  
"Helping your pathetic Lord, are you?" she hissed. "Giving me a little more power to wash over the world? You're hurting me."  
  
Draco gasped slightly, feeling part of himself being taken away. It felt like nothing he had ever experienced before, as if there was a hollow and empty place in his body where he had taken power from.  
  
"Ever wonder when there's too much in me?" she asked as he dragged her along. Lucius was walking behind her, his fingers on her elbow. "Did he ever wonder when I'd have so much power inside of me that I'd just explode? I wonder what use I'd be to him then."  
  
"Shut up," Daphne growled, poking her wand into Glory's back. "You talk too much."  
  
Glory raised an eyebrow. "I suppose that always was one of my bad traits."  
  
"Don't make me use the Cruciatus on you again," Daphne warned.  
  
Glory smiled again. "Go ahead. See how much of that I absorb. Try to make me take a little too much and see what happens. I'm sure Voldemort would be very pleased to find me lying useless on the floor."  
  
Daphne's jaw tightened and she jabbed at Glory again. "Just walk."  
  
"Don't provoke them," Lucius whispered.  
  
She shot him a look that told him to immediately shut up and he fell behind, still touching her but feeling further away than he had in a very long time. If she was planning something he wanted to be involved in it, but he knew that Glory would be more safe and more likely to save herself, and the world, if she acted alone. Still, Lucius couldn't help but feel doomed as they came upon a heavy wooden door that he knew would lead to a room full of Death Eaters. Followers of Voldemort who would be ready to jeer at him, torture him if they were allowed and he wasn't prepared to face that. He had lived, he had done the things he'd wanted to and yet, he had not had a full life. He didn't want to die, not yet.  
  
Draco pushed the door open and tossed Glory inside. She tripped on the floor and stumbled into the circle of Death Eaters as Daphne pushed Lucius aside and closed the door. Glory stared defiantly at the shadowed faces that were watching her, determined not to show fear to any of them. She would revert back to her old self if she had to. There would be no crying, no begging for her life, no whimpering with pain. There would only be the cold, clear eyes of a woman who had accepted and resigned to her fate. She was in a position where there was nothing left for her to do, but realize that she had failed and because of her failure, the world would pay.  
  
"Glorificus," a smooth voice hissed from the shadows and a moment later, Voldemort stepped into the circle with her. "Still as beautiful as I remember."  
  
She stared at him, expressionless.  
  
"Still as vacant, apparently," he said, chuckling. "You were always so cold. It's quite hard, really, to see what Lucius Malfoy sees in you. He always liked the ones with a bit of fire in them."  
  
Glory said nothing.  
  
Voldemort smiled at her. "No comments, my dear? No sarcastic and witty remarks, no dying statements that my defeat will soon come and your death will not be in vain? No need to make yourself into a martyr?" He cocked his head. "Strange. So few of them go quietly."   
  
With a shrug and a sweeping gesture to his audience, Voldemort stepped closer to Glory. "Pay attention Lucius, you'll love this."  
  
He reached out and placed his palm flat against her chest. Light burst forth from her body and Glory screamed, her body shaking with pain. Voldemort just smiled and continued to take her collective power into his frail body.  
  
  
* * * * 


	23. Chapter Twenty Three

This is it ... *sighs* I miss writing this already.  
  
* * * *  
  
  
A muffled scream reached Snape's ears as he jogged up the dirt road and toward the front door of the house. He could feel a shift in the air around them and he paused, cocking his head to listen for another scream. Lupin pushed open the front door and they stood in the threshold, almost waiting for something to happen before they made their own move.  
  
"They're already doing something," Snape growled furiously, entering the house. "I can feel it and I heard Glory scream from outside. We can't waste any more time standing here like fools."  
  
"Where are they?" Lupin asked, following Snape inside and staring around the house. It wasn't large, but three different doorways led to other rooms in the house and stairs to their left led to the upper floor. "They could have her anywhere and by the time we're finished searching she could be dead."  
  
Snape cocked his head again, then yelled, "There! There! I heard her scream from in there."   
  
With his wand out and ready, Lupin sprinted across the living room of the tiny house and put his hand on the doorknob. "What'll we do?" he asked suddenly, when Snape caught up to him.  
  
"You'll know what to do, if anything," he growled, pushing Lupin aside and grabbing hold of the doorknob. "Are you really ready?"  
  
Lupin nodded, looking very serious. "I'm ready."  
  
Snape drew in a breath and pushed open the heavy door.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Lucius had to raise one hand to shield his eyes from the glare when Voldemort touched Glory. The light was so bright that it filled the room, causing the Death Eaters to move around in confusion, not following exactly what was happening. Lucius took advantage of their distraction and rose to his feet, standing behind his own son and debating suddenly what he was going to do. To hurt Draco would be nearly impossible, but he would have to do it to save Glory.  
  
A pained scream pierced the thick air in the room and Lucius made his decision in that moment. His son, or Glory and the world. With his hand balled into a fist, Lucius slammed it down onto Draco's back and the boy fell. His wand clattered across the floor and he tried to grab for it, but Lucius was quicker and he wrapped his thin fingers around the long piece of wood.  
  
"You shouldn't have done it," he whispered, then turned back toward the blinding light. He couldn't see anything beyond a foot in front of his face and he had to fight blindly across the room, groping the walls to make sure he was still on the right path toward Glory.  
  
"Lucius, get off me," a voice growled and he squinted to see Lupin and Snape standing in the doorway of the room.  
  
"He has Glory," Lucius said quickly. "He'll kill her and everyone else unless we do something."  
  
Snape's eyes narrowed and Lucius growled deep in his throat. "This isn't the time to be playing games, Severus. If you don't trust me, then save her yourself. But if I leave it up to you and you don't do it, I swear I'll kill you."  
  
Snape looked taken aback, but he plunged into the room, pushing through the few Death Eaters who remained standing. There was nothing in front of them but the light, no Glory, no Voldemort, just the light that had blinded them all. He groped through it, hoping to come in contact with some human form, but there was nothing there.  
  
"They're gone," he growled.  
  
Lupin frowned. "No, they're right there. Can't you see them?"  
  
Snape turned back and squinted into the glare and found that he could see the dim outlines of two people before him. Another scream ripped from Glory's mouth and Snape winced, then moved forward and tried to grasp Voldemort's hand and tear it from her body. Still, he could not find a solid form in the light.  
  
"I can't get to her," he said loudly, motioning for Lupin. His voice barely carried over the sound of rushing wind in the room. "I can see her and I can hear her, but I can't get to her."  
  
Lupin pushed through the Death Eaters, followed closely by Lucius and tried to pull Glory away. His hands came down on empty air and he was unable to grab her shoulders. He tried again, this time wrapping his arms around her waist, but there was nothing there for him to hold on to.  
  
"No," Lucius said so softly that they barely heard him under the noise of the room. "You can't have come this far to be unable to stop it." He stepped forward and grabbed for Glory, but his hand passed through her as if she wasn't even there. "No, dammit," he growled, waving his hands furiously in the air before him.  
  
"Lucius, stop," Lupin demanded, pushing him away. "We'll find a way."  
  
"When? Tomorrow? It won't do us any good tomorrow," Lucius said.  
  
Silence filled the room at that instant, the wind around them slowing and then dying down altogether. The light faded slowly, leaving the stunned Death Eaters to stare at their Lord and the woman they thought would deliver them all from a tainted world. They expected to see him flexing his hands with the newfound power, Glory dead in his grasp, her eyes unseeing and blank. They expected him to unleash her power over the world.  
  
Instead, Glory stood with her hands clamped around Voldemort's wrist, forcing his hand to stay in contact with her body. He was shaking, his face drawn and pale as though all the blood had been drained from his body. Glory wore a look of fury, her body trembling as well as she reversed the flow of power.  
  
"Glory, don't do it," Lucius said. "You'll kill yourself."  
  
She didn't seem to hear him as energy flowed down Voldemort's arm and was absorbed into her skin. His victims came with the energy, screams of pain were heard as the power was transferred and Lucius could make out the occasional face in the haze and smoke that entered Glory's body.  
  
"We have to stop her," Lucius said, grabbing Lupin's arm. "That's too much for her body."  
  
Snape shook his head and held Lucius back. "She knows what she's doing. Just wait."  
  
At last, after watching Glory take in all of Voldemort's power, she let go of him and he crumpled to the ground. His chest heaved with exertion and he began to tremble once more as he realized how weak he was. She had drained him of everything that he had worked so hard to gain.  
  
"Do something," he hissed angrily, staring up at Daphne. His wand was lying halfway across the room and he knew he couldn't be able to reach it on time, but that didn't mean his followers couldn't protect him.  
  
Daphne moved toward Glory, but Glory raised a hand and Daphne stopped her in her tracks. Glory's eyes glowed, her pupils dilated and the irises a blazing orange colour that Lucius had never seen before. It looked as if someone had taken all the colours eyes could possibly be and had thrown them into one.  
  
"We are not impressed, Voldemort," she said, speaking for the first time since the power transfer. Her voice resonated through the room, a bizarre chorus of all the men and women whose power she now held inside her body. Her own voice would be in there somewhere, buried under the Potions Master, the former werewolf, and, of course, her own personal demon who had ended up falling in love with her.  
  
"You think far too highly of yourself," she continued, the different voices rising with separate and strange inflections. The dialects were all different, Lucius realized with a start. Voldemort had killed from all over the world and the voices represented that.  
  
"Riding the world of . . . what do you call them?"  
  
"Mudbloods," Voldemort wheezed.  
  
Lupin made a sudden movement then to hold back a group of Death Eater's at the door and Glory turned to him, smiling softly.  
  
"Thank you, our dearest friend and saviour, but I can handle them. Do not strain yourself when you have been through so much already." She waved her hand across the room, trapping the Death Eater's in their positions.  
  
Lupin found himself smiling fondly at Glory, despite the fact that she was now a many souled entity. She was still in there, still prominent over every other soul inside of her.  
  
"You," she said sharply, turning back to Voldemort, "have pushed and pushed and we have allowed it. We have been unable to do anything about it, we have been unable to stop you from using the power you have unfairly taken from us. Now we will see how dark and powerful this Dark Lord truly is."  
  
Glory flicked her fingers at Voldemort's wand and it came sailing across the room to her. She turned it around and held it out to him. He stared at her from the floor, a frown crossing his pale face.  
  
"Take it," she said, still holding it out. "We will see who remains standing at the end of a simple duel."  
  
"You're offering me the chance to kill you," he said.  
  
Glory smiled. "Still so sure of yourself, are you?"  
  
Voldemort stood on shaking legs. "I have my own power."  
  
She blinked at him, her orange eyes glowing happily. "Are you sure, Voldemort, that you did not lose your own powers long ago?"  
  
Instead of answering, he pointed his wand at her and wheezed out, "Crucio."  
  
Glory's body absorbed the curse and she did not take so much as a step backward. Another smile stole across her face at this and she waited patiently as Voldemort struggled to accept what had happened.  
  
"You won't win," he promised.  
  
She cocked an eyebrow. "Oh no?"  
  
"No," he hissed. "Avada Kedavra."  
  
Glory stumbled backward, but the curse couldn't even knock her over. She straightened, still smiling and cocked her head at the Dark Lord.  
  
"Are you quite finished?" she asked. "We would like to get on with it."  
  
"No, I-"  
  
"For all you've killed, for all you've taken from the innocents, for everything you've done," she said fiercely, interrupting him. "For all you've stolen, I will return it unto you." Her blazing eyes met his and she stretched her hands toward him.  
  
"Avada Kedavra."  
  
The power of a thousand men rushed from her outstretched hands, barrelling through Voldemort's body. He screamed and was pushed back against the wall as the energy and power pummelled him, leaving him as nothing more than a shred of what he had once been. He collapsed to the ground, the breath gone from him forever.  
  
Glory fell to the ground in a heap on the other side of the room, breathing heavily into her arms. The Death Eaters remained unable to move and Lucius watched in wonder as they struggled to leave the room. Remnants of Glory's power remained there, holding them in place until the Ministry could arrive and take them away to Askaban.  
  
"Dumbledore will have notified the Ministry of where we are," Snape said, leaning over Glory. "Someone will come for them soon."  
  
Glory raised her head slightly and managed to nod. "I'm sorry," she breathed. "I can't move . . . so weak."  
  
Lucius knelt down to her level and gently rubbed her back. "It's okay. We'll get you out of here."  
  
"Draco?" she mumbled into her arms.  
  
Lucius's eyes went to his son, who was being held in a sitting position near the wall.   
  
"He's over there," Lupin said softly.  
  
Glory turned her head so that she could see him, then sighed sadly. "Will he go to Azkaban?"  
  
Snape glanced at Lucius, then nodded. "Yes, he'll have to."  
  
Glory closed her eyes. "So sorry," she mumbled. "He shouldn't have been involved."  
  
Lucius stared at his son for a long moment, then turned away when he found he could see nothing but hatred behind Draco's eyes. The boy gave up so much and it was all for nothing.  
  
"Let's go," Lupin murmured, leaning down and helping Glory to her feet. With one arm around her waist he led her to the door where they waited for Snape and Lucius to join them. Behind them, the Death Eaters tried to escape the magic that was holding there but it was no use, nothing they did could tear them out of the space they were frozen in.  
  
"Sorry it had to end this way, Daphne," Glory said softly, staring at the woman who had once been her best friend. "I just never though that you . . . you of all people."  
  
Daphne just glared at Glory, refusing to even acknowledge that she was being spoken to.  
  
"Come on," Lucius murmured, standing at Glory's other side and helping her through the door. "I don't know exactly what happened in there, but I do know you saved the world."  
  
Lupin caught Snape's eye and smiled slightly. "Lot of good we were, rushing in here to save the day."  
  
"You're here," Glory mumbled. "That's what matters."  
  
They walked toward the front door, Lucius and Lupin supporting Glory on either side as she stumbled through the house.   
  
"I have just one question," Snape said as they arrived at the door. "Is there any part of the . . . energy left inside of you now?"  
  
Glory raised her head slightly to look at him and she shook her head. "Nothing. It's all gone."  
  
"That's good, isn't it?" Lupin asked. "That means you won't have to ever worry about it again, right?"  
  
Glory nodded slowly and managed a weak smile. "Right. It's gone and I'm . . . I'm free of it, I guess. Free to do anything I want." She glanced at the ring on her finger and pushed her smile further. "Anything."  
  
* * * *  
  
End  
  
Notes: I was going to include the wedding, but I thought that'd end up being waaaaay too corny, so I didn't. I hope it satisfies just the same. 


End file.
